SW480 cells undergoes postmitotic neuron-like differentiation in response to EZH2 knockdown

Formerly we found that combined inhibition of class I HDACs, DNMTs, EZH2 and LSD1 with chemical inhibitors in a variety of cancer cells caused neuronal differentiation. Our recent study demonstrated that functional knockdown of EZH2 alone in SW480 cells can also lead to significant neuronal differentiation. We used microarray to analyze global gene expression change in SW480 cells after neuronal differentiation induced by EZH2 knockdown. EZH2 function was blocked in SW480 cells via shRNA knockdown. Cells underwent significant morphological change after 6 days of EZH2 knockdown, as compared control SW480 cells that was infected with lentivirus carrying empty vector. Control and EZH2 knockdown cells were then collected and subjected to microassay analysis. Two samples, one was control SW480 cells and the other was SW480 cells with EZH2 knockdown, were used for microarray assay.