title: Aquaporin 3 promotes epithelial-mesenchymal transition in gastric cancer.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Gastric carcinoma (GC) is a common and lethal malignancy, and epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) is believed to contribute to invasive and metastatic tumor growth. Aquaporin 3 (AQP3) is overexpressed in human GC tissues, while human epidermal growth factor (EGF) and hepatocyte growth factor, which can induce EMT, are able to up-regulate AQP3 expression, subsequently promoting GC cell migration and proliferation. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of AQP3 on EMT in human GC.
  
  
  METHODS
  AQP3 and EMT-related proteins were detected by immunohistochemistry in human GC specimens and their clinical significance evaluated. AQP3 knockdown was attempted using small interfering RNAs, while EGF was used to up-regulate AQP3 expression. Western blotting, real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction assays and immunofluorescence were used to evaluate changes in expression of AQP3 and EMT-related proteins in the SGC7901 and MGC803 human GC cell lines.
  
  
  RESULTS
  AQP3 up-expression was associated with EMT-related proteins in human GC specimens, which correlated with poor prognosis for GC. AQP3 modulated GC cell proliferation, migration and invasion in vitro, and induced E-cadherin repression. AQP3 also up-regulated the expression of vimentin and fibronectin in vitro. The PI3K/AKT/SNAIL signaling pathway was likely involved in the induction of EMT by AQP3 in GC.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  AQP3 promotes EMT in human cases of GC, allowing us to understand the mechanisms of AQP3 in GC progression, thus providing a potential strategy for its treatment.
authors.forename: Jia
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Tao
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Yang-Chun
authors.initials: YC
authors.lastname: Zhou
authors.forename: Fei
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Gao
authors.forename: Zhi-Hong
authors.initials: ZH
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Hao
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Xu
authors.forename: Shou-Lin
authors.initials: SL
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: Division of Gastrointestinal Surgery, Department of General Surgery, First Affiliated Hospital, Nanjing Medical University, 210029 Nanjing, Jiangsu, China. shenlz@163.com.
authors.forename: Li-Zong
authors.initials: LZ
authors.lastname: Shen
mesh_terms: D000230:Adenocarcinoma / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000401:mortality / Q000556:secondary; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D015703:Antigens, CD; D051400:Aquaporin 3 / Q000502:physiology*; D015820:Cadherins / Q000378:metabolism; D002465:Cell Movement; D049109:Cell Proliferation; D058750:Epithelial-Mesenchymal Transition; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D053208:Kaplan-Meier Estimate; D008207:Lymphatic Metastasis; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009361:Neoplasm Invasiveness; D019869:Phosphatidylinositol 3-Kinases / Q000378:metabolism; D051057:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-akt / Q000378:metabolism; D015398:Signal Transduction; D000071250:Snail Family Transcription Factors; D013274:Stomach Neoplasms / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology; D014157:Transcription Factors / Q000378:metabolism; D014746:Vimentin / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: C496027:AQP3 protein, human; D015703:Antigens, CD; C513384:CDH1 protein, human; D015820:Cadherins; D000071250:Snail Family Transcription Factors; D014157:Transcription Factors; D014746:Vimentin; D051400:Aquaporin 3; D019869:Phosphatidylinositol 3-Kinases; D051057:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-akt