Abstract: Objective To investigate the mechanism underlying the inhibitory effect of STOML-2 overexpression on apoptosis of
human cervical squamous carcinoma Siha cells. Methods Siha cells were transfected with an adenoviral vector carrying
STOML-2, and 72 h later STOML-2 expression and the proliferation of the cells were detected by Western blotting and MTT
assay. The transfected cells were treated with IC50 Cisplatin for 24 h, and the morphological changes of cells were observed
using fluorescence, and the cell apoptosis was analyzed using flow cytomerty; the expression levels of proteins related with
mitochondrial apoptosis pathway, including caspase-3, cleaved caspase-3, Bcl-2, Bax and cytochrome C (Cyt C), were detected
by Western blotting. Results Western blotting showed a significantly increased STOML-2 expression in the transfected cells.
Overexpression of STOML-2 obviously promoted the proliferation of Siha cells. The STOML-2-overexpressing cells exhibited
an obvious resistance to IC50 Cisplatin-induced apoptosis as shown by both fluorescence microscopy and flow cytometry and
presented with decreased expressions of cleaved caspase-3, Bax, and cytosol Cyt C and increased expressions of caspase-3,
Bcl-2, and mitochondrial Cyt C. Conclusion Overexpression of STOML-2 can enhance the proliferation of Siha cells by
inhibiting cell apoptosis possibly through the mitochondrial apoptosis pathway.