Down-regulation of WAVE2, WASP Family Verprolin-Homologous Protein 2, in Gastric Cancer Indicates Lymph Node Metastasis and Cell Migration

作者:Jia, Shuqin; Jia, Yongning; Weeks, Hoi Ping; Ruge, Fiona; Feng, Xuemin; Ma, Rutting; Ji, Jiafu; Ren, Jianjun*; Jiang, Wen G.
来源:Anticancer Research, 2014, 34(5): 2185-2194.

摘要

Background: WAVE2 plays a crucial role in actin polymerisation and cell migration. We aimed to investigate the expression and cellular functions of WAVE2 in human gastric cancer (GC). Materials and Methods: The level of WAVE2 was determined using quantitative PCR (Q-PCR) in a cohort of human gastric tissues. Expression of WAVE2, ARP2, NWASP, ROCK1 and ROCK2 was examined using RT-PCR in paired tissues. WAVE2 and ARP2 protein co-expression was examined. Anti-WAVE2 transgene ribozymes were constructed and transiently transfected into human GC cells. Results: Down-regulation of WAVE2 expression in GC was significantly correlated with lymph node metastasis. WAVE2 was positively correlated with E-cadherin and negatively with TWIST. Immunohistochemically, WAVE2 and ARP2 were not co-expressed in serial mirror sections. In vitro, WAVE2 knockdown was shown to increase cell motility, whilst ROCK inhibitor treatment reduced this effect in HGC27 cells. Conclusion: WAVE2 is down-regulated in GC and loses its metastatic role in GC. Knockdown of WAVE2 could increase metastatic potential by promoting the growth, invasiveness, motility, adhesiveness and suppressing EMT (epithelial-mesenchymal transition) of GC cells.