Nuclear transcription factor caudal type homeobox transcription factor 2 inhibits migration and invasion of gastric cancer cells via Janus kinase/signal transducer activated transcription factors signal pathway

Abstract

Objective To explore the inhibitory effects of caudal type homeobox transcription factor 2 (CDX2) on migration and invasion of gastric cancer cells via Janus kinase (JAK)/signal transducer activated transcription factors (STAT) signal pathway. Methods Gastric cancer cell MKN-45 was transfected with enhanced green fluorescent protein (EGFP)-N1-CDX2 eukaryotic expression vector and blank plasmid by liposome. The expression of CDX2 was detected by Western blotting and reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). Cell viability was measured by methyl thiazol tetrazolium (MTT) assay. Cell migration was examined by scratch test. Cell invasion was examined by Transwell assay. The expression of matrix metalloproteinase (MMP)-2, MMP-9 and JAK/STAT signal pathway related protein was detected by Western blotting. Results As compared with control group, the expression of CDX2 protein (0.18±0.01 vs. 0.82±0.08) and mRNA (0.21±0.01 vs. 0.84±0.08) was up-regulated, the cell viability (0.78±0.07 vs. 0.37±0.03), cell migration distance[(6.82±0.67) vs. (30.73±3.08) nm] and cell invasion number (50.21±5.09 vs. 148.36±13.50) was decreased, the expression of MMP-2 (0.79±0.07 vs. 0.17±0.01), MMP-9 (1.00±0.10 vs. 0.26±0.02), JAK2 (0.49±0.05 vs. 0.22±0.02) and p-STAT3 (1.28±0.12 vs. 0.38±0.03) was down-regulated in the pEGFP-N1-CDX2 group. Conclusion CDX2 could inhibit migration and invasion of MKN-45 cells via inhibition of JAK/STAT signal pathway. Key words: Caudal type homeobox transcription factor 2; Gastric cancer; Migration; Invasion; Janus kinase/signal transducer activated transcription factors signal pathway