N-cadherin, a novel prognostic biomarker, drives malignant progression of colorectal cancer.
Recent studies have indicated that the epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) is a key molecular mechanism involved in the development of colorectal cancer (CRC). N-cadherin is a mesenchymal marker of the EMT and has been closely linked to several human malignancies. However, its role in CRC has remained elusive. In the present study, qRT-PCR and western blot analysis indicated that N-cadherin expression was higher in tumor tissues than in that in their adjacent normal tissues. Immunohistochemical evaluation of N-cadherin and E-cadherin (an epithelial marker of the EMT), indicated that N-cadherin expression was significantly associated with tumor differentiation, tumor size as well as tumor, nodes and metastasis stage. Correlation analysis suggested the expression of N-cadherin was negatively correlated with that of E-cadherin in CRC tissues. Kaplan-Meier analysis indicated that patients with high N-cadherin expression had a significantly lower overall survival and disease-free survival rate than those with low N-cadherin expression, while the opposite was found for E-cadherin. Of note, the present study found that high N-cadherin expression was an independent prognostic factor for CRC. In vitro assays showed that N-cadherin was widely expressed in CRC cell lines and silencing of N-cadherin suppressed the proliferation and migration of the CRC cell line HT-29 by upregulating E-cadherin, suggesting a potential role of N-cadherin in inducing EMT. In conclusion, the present study suggested that N-cadherin has the potential of serving as a novel prognostic predictor and a promising therapeutic target for CRC.
Department of Surgery, Sixth People's Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200233, P.R. China.
Xuebing
X
Yan
Department of Surgery, Sixth People's Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200233, P.R. China.
Leilei
L
Yan
Department of Surgery, Sixth People's Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200233, P.R. China.
Sihong
S
Liu
Department of Surgery, Sixth People's Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200233, P.R. China.
Zezhi
Z
Shan
Department of Surgery, Sixth People's Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200233, P.R. China.
Yuan
Y
Tian
Department of Surgery, Sixth People's Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200233, P.R. China.
Zhiming
Z
Jin
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D015820:Cadherins / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D002465:Cell Movement; D049109:Cell Proliferation; D015179:Colorectal Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology*; D018572:Disease-Free Survival; D058750:Epithelial-Mesenchymal Transition; D005260:Female; D045325:HCT116 Cells; D019073:HT29 Cells; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D053208:Kaplan-Meier Estimate; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D011379:Prognosis; D034622:RNA Interference; D034741:RNA, Small Interfering / Q000378:metabolism; D060888:Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction; D015854:Up-Regulation
D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D015820:Cadherins; D034741:RNA, Small Interfering