Effect of transfection of tumor cells with shRNA‐expressing plasmid DNA (pDNA) on SOCS mRNA expression. Tumor cells seeded on culture plates were transfected with control plasmid DNA (pDNA), pshLuc, pshSOCS‐1 (sites 1, 2 and 3) or pshSOCS‐3 (sites 1, 2 and 3). Three different sequences in the SOCS‐1 gene (site 1, CTACCTGAGTTCCTTCCCC; site 2, GCCAGGACCTGAATTCCAC; site 3, GACCTGAATTCCACTCCTA) and in the SOCS‐3 gene (site 1, GGGGAATCTTCAAACTTTC; site 2, GGCAGGACCTGGAATTCGT; site 3, GAAGAGAGCTATACTGGTG) were targeted. (a) SOCS‐1 and (b) SOCS‐3 mRNA in B16‐BL6 () and Colon26 () cells was determined 48 h after transfection. The results are expressed as the mean percentage ± standard deviation (percentage of the control group) of three independent determinations. *P < 0.05 for Student's t‐test compared with their corresponding control groups. GAPDH, glyceraldehyde 3‐phosphate dehydrogenase.