Overexpression of β-actin is closely associated with metastasis of gastric cancer.

Abstract

β-actin is known to be involved in motility of cancer cells. However, the association between β-actin expression and metastasis of gastric cancer remains unclear. We enrolled 40 gastric cancer patients who underwent gastrectomy and evaluated the expression of β-actin in gastric cancer tissues and the corresponding normal mucosa by the analysis of Western blotting. To further study the function of β-actin in cancer cell migration, wound healing assay was performed in SGC7901 transfected with β-actin siRNA. The level of β-actin was significantly higher in gastric cancer tissues than in the corresponding normal mucosa. The correlation between β-actin expression and the local lymph node metastasis was statistically significant, which demonstrated that overexpression of β-actin might contribute to the local lymph node metastasis of gastric cancer. Interference of β-actin expression could inhibit migration of SGC7901 cells. β-actin, the most conservative and dynamic protein, is overexpressed in gastric cancer tissues and may play a crucial role in metastasis of gastric cancer.