Abstract: Objective　To explore the effects of transmembraneprotein 97 (TMEM97) on the proliferation and apoptosis of human ovarian cancer SKOV3 cells and its mechanism. Methods　The SKOV3 cells were divided into transfection (si-TMEM97) group , negative control (siNC) group and blank control (Control) group. qPCR and Western blot assay were used to evaluate the TMEM97 silencing efficiency at mRNA and protein levels after siRNA-TMEM97 transfection. The proliferation ability of ovarian cancer cells was detected by CCK-8 assay after transfection. PI staining assay was used to observe the effect of down-regulated gene TMEM97 on cell cycle. The apoptosis rate was measured by Annexin V-FITC/PI assay. Western blot assay was used to evaluate the expressions of the B-cell lymphoma-2 (Bcl-2), Bcl-2 associated X (Bax) and P38 mitogen-activated protein kinase pathway-associated proteins (P38/MAPK and p-P38/MAPK). Results　Compared with the Control group and the siNC group, the proliferation ability of SKOV3 cells was inhibited in the si-TMEM97 group, and the early apoptosis rate of SKOV3 cells was significantly increased (P＜0.01). The relative expression of Bcl-2 protein in SKOV3 cells was significantly decreased, and the relative expressions of Bax protein and p-P38/MAPK were significantly increased in si-TMEM97 group than those of Control group and siNC group (all P＜0.05). Conclusion　The down-regulation of TMEM97 decreases the proliferation and increases the apoptosis of SKOV3 cells, which may be related with the regulating the Bcl-2/Bax expression and activating P38/MAPK signaling pathway.

Key words: ovarian neoplasms, cell proliferation, apoptosis, bcl-2-associated X protein, p38 mitogen-activated protein kinases, TMEM97, P38/MAPK signaling pathway