title: [CCL21 promotes the metastasis of human pancreatic cancer Panc-1 cells via epithelial- mesenchymal transition].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To investigate the mechanism underlying that chemokine (C-C motif) ligand 21 (CCL21) promotes the metastasis ability of human pancreatic cancer Panc-1 cells.
  
  
  METHODS
  Transwell(TM) was used to access the chemotaxis effect of CCL21 on Panc-1 cells. Real-time quantitative PCR was performed to detect the expression of C-C chemokine receptor type 7 (CCR7) mRNA in the upper and lower chambers. Immunofluorescence staining and Western blotting were employed to examine the expressions of the epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT)-related proteins and CD133 of Panc-1 cells in the lower chamber, which were compared with those of the upper chamber as the control.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The numbers of the Panc-1 cells induced by 0, 50, 100, 200 ng/mL CCL21 were 13.00 ± 3.00, 78.00 ± 9.00, 161.00 ± 11.00, 281.00 ± 17.00, respectively; with the increase of the concentration of CCL21, there were more cells migrating from the upper to the lower chamber; and the cells in the lower chamber expressed higher level of CCR7 mRNA than the ones staying in the upper chamber. The relative protein expressions of MMP-9, vimentin, E-cadherin and CD133 in the lower chamber were 0.42 ± 0.04, 0.36 ± 0.03, 0.12 ± 0.02, 0.46 ± 0.03, respectively, which were statistically significantly different from those in the upper chamber (0.15 ± 0.02, 0.25 ± 0.02, 0.25 ± 0.03, 0.13 ± 0.02, respectively).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  CCL21/CCR7 axis maybe play an important role in the metastasis of pancreatic cancer stem cells by EMT and up-regulation of MMP-9.
authors.affiliation: Affiliated Hospital, Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang 212001, China.
authors.forename: Qing
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.affiliation: Affiliated Hospital, Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang 212001, China.
authors.forename: Fangfang
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.affiliation: Affiliated Hospital, Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang 212001, China.
authors.forename: Tanghai
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Duan
authors.affiliation: Affiliated Hospital, Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang 212001, China.
authors.forename: Haitao
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Zhu
authors.affiliation: Affiliated Hospital, Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang 212001, China.
authors.forename: Xiaodong
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Xie
authors.affiliation: Affiliated Hospital, Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang 212001, China.
authors.forename: Yingying
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.affiliation: School of Medical Science and Laboratory Medicine, Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang 212013, China.
authors.forename: Zhijian
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.affiliation: Affiliated Hospital, Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang 212001, China.
authors.forename: Dongqing
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Wang
mesh_terms: D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D054421:Chemokine CCL21 / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D058750:Epithelial-Mesenchymal Transition; D006801:Humans; D020780:Matrix Metalloproteinase 9 / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D009362:Neoplasm Metastasis; D010190:Pancreatic Neoplasms / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology*; D014746:Vimentin / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D054421:Chemokine CCL21; D014746:Vimentin; D020780:Matrix Metalloproteinase 9