Abstract: Abstract: Objective　To investigate the expression of tumor necrosis factor receptor-associated protein 1 (TRAP1) in colorectal cancer and its effects on proliferation and apoptosis of colorectal cancer cells. Methods　The Oncomine database was used to analyze the expressions of TRAP1 in colorectal cancer tissues and normal intestinal mucosal tissues. Western blot assay was used to detect the expressions of TRAP1 in colorectal cancer tissues and their paired paracancerous mucosa tissues, LOVO, HT29, HCT116, RKO, SW480 and NCM460 cells. CCK-8 and plate cloning assay were used to detect the effects of TRAP1 on the proliferation of colorectal cancer cells. Flow cytometry was used to detect the effects of TRAP1 on cell cycle and apotosis. The effects of TRAP1 on cell cycle-associated protein, apoptosis-related protein and PI3K/AKT pathway markers were detected by Western blot assay. Results　Bioinformatics analysis showed that TRAP1 was highly expressed in colorectal cancer. Western blot results showed that the protein expression levels of TRAP1 were higher in colorectal cancer cells and tissues than those in normal tissues and cells (P＜0.05). Interfering TRAP1 expression with siRNA significantly inhibited cell proliferation and clonality (P＜0.05), and cells were arrested in G0/G1 phase, which increased apoptosis (P＜0.01). The expression of cell cycle-associated protein CyclinD1 was decreased, the expression of apoptosis-related protein Cleaved-Casp3 was increased and the expressions of p-PI3K and p-AKT were decreased (P＜0.05). Conclusion　TRAP1 is highly expressed in colorectal cancer. Interfering the expression of TRAP1 can inhibit the proliferation of colorectal cancer cells and promote apoptosis by inhibiting the activation of PI3K/AKT pathway.

Key words: colorectal neoplasms, cell line, tumor, RNA interference, cell proliferation, apoptosis, TRAP1