Abstract
Homeobox C8 (HOXC8) is a transcription factor that has been reported to regulate numerous genes associated with tumor progression. However, its function in cervical cancer (CC) remains to be elucidated. In the present study, the expression level of HOXC8 was examined in CC tissues and cell lines using reverse transcription-quantitative polymerase chain reaction and western blot analysis. Additionally, CC cell lines were transfected with small interfering RNAs (siRNAs) to downregulate the expression of HOX8 and assess cell proliferation using Cell Counting Kit-8. The results demonstrated a significantly increased expression of HOXC8 in CC tissues and cell lines compared with non-tumor tissues, and a normal cervical cell line, respectively. Additionally, the downregulation of HOXC8, which was achieved by siRNA transfection, significantly inhibited the proliferation rate of CC cell lines. Kaplan-Meier curves demonstrated that the increased expression of HOXC8 was associated with poor prognosis of patients with CC. Additionally, univariate and multivariate analysis revealed that HOXC8 was a significant and independent predictor for overall survival of patients with CC. In conclusion, the results of the present study suggest that HOXC8 may be involved in the progression of CC and may serve as a therapeutic target for CC.
Highlights
Cervical cancer (CC) is the third most common type of cancer among females and the second leading cause of cancer‐associated mortality worldwide [1]
Western blot analysis confirmed that the expression level of Homeobox C8 (HOXC8) was significantly increased in CC tissues compared with that adjacent non‐tumor tissues (P
Previous studies have reported the upregulation of HOXC8 in various types of cancer suggesting a possible function in tumor progression [12,13,14,15]
Summary
Cervical cancer (CC) is the third most common type of cancer among females and the second leading cause of cancer‐associated mortality worldwide [1]. Aberrant expression of HOX genes, including HOXA9, HOXB4, and HOXC10 in CC has been reported in previous studies [9,10,11], suggesting that HOX genes may serve an important function in tumorigenesis. HOXC8 is one of the 39 members of the HOX family proteins and is overexpressed in several types of human cancer, including colon [12], lung [13], prostate [14], and breast cancer [15]. Several studies investigated the molecular mechanisms by which HOXC8 contributes to tumorigenesis. HOXC8 may exert its oncogenic function through regulating the expression of other cancer‐associated genes. HOXC8 may promote tumorigenesis by regulating the expression of cadherin‐11 in breast cancer [15]. The present study aimed to examine the expression of HOXC8 and the clinical significance of HOXC8 expression in CC
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