title: Enhancer of zeste homolog 2 expression is associated with tumor cell proliferation and invasion in cervical cancer.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Enhancer of zeste homolog 2 (EZH2) has been reported to be associated with biological malignancy in several cancers. High expression of EZH2 is associated with tumor cell proliferation, invasion and metastasis and has important clinicopathologic significance. However, little is known about the function and mechanisms of EZH2 in cervical cancer.
  
  
  METHODS
  This study was conducted to investigate the clinical value of EZH2 expression in cervical cancer and the association between EZH2 and possible downstream proteins using EZH2-targeted interfering RNA.
  
  
  RESULTS
  EZH2 expression rate was significantly greater in cervical cancer tissue than in normal cervical tissue both in mRNA and protein level. High EZH2 expression was significantly associated with differentiation, depth and lymphatic invasion. EZH2 gene RNAi resulted in inhibition of cell growth, cell cycle arrest and decreased ability of invasion in C33A cells. PCNA and MMP-2 expressions were downregulated, whereas p21 was upregulated after inhibition of EZH2.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  High EZH2 expression may be associated with tumor cell proliferation and invasion in cervical cancer, and that EZH2 may be one of the candidates for new molecular therapeutic targets for the treatment of cervical cancer.
authors.affiliation: Departments of Gynaecology and Obstetrics, First Affiliated Hospital, Medical School, Xi'an Jiaotong University, Shaanxi Province, China. fangjing88993@126.com
authors.forename: Jing
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Fang
authors.forename: Mingxin
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Qiling
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Li
mesh_terms: D015153:Blotting, Western; D002453:Cell Cycle / Q000502:physiology; D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D049109:Cell Proliferation; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology*; D000071221:Enhancer of Zeste Homolog 2 Protein; D005260:Female; D005434:Flow Cytometry; D015972:Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic / Q000502:physiology; D006801:Humans; D009361:Neoplasm Invasiveness / Q000503:physiopathology; D063151:Polycomb Repressive Complex 2; D034741:RNA, Small Interfering; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction; D014157:Transcription Factors / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology*; D002583:Uterine Cervical Neoplasms / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology
chemical_list: D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins; D034741:RNA, Small Interfering; D014157:Transcription Factors; C498409:EZH2 protein, human; D000071221:Enhancer of Zeste Homolog 2 Protein; D063151:Polycomb Repressive Complex 2