Open Access

Downregulated connexin32 promotes EMT through the Wnt/β-catenin pathway by targeting Snail expression in hepatocellular carcinoma

  • Authors:
    • Yan Yang
    • Na Zhang
    • Jian Zhu
    • Xiao-Ting Hong
    • Hao Liu
    • Yu-Rong Ou
    • Fang Su
    • Rui Wang
    • Yu-Mei Li
    • Qiong Wu
  • View Affiliations

  • Published online on: May 8, 2017     https://doi.org/10.3892/ijo.2017.3985
  • Pages: 1977-1988
  • Copyright: © Yang et al. This is an open access article distributed under the terms of Creative Commons Attribution License.

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Abstract

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is one of the common malignances in the world and is associated with high mortality and poor prognosis, partly due to early invasion and metastasis. Cx32 has been indicated to be involved in the progression of many cancers including HCC, but its relationship with tumor invasion and metastasis is still controversial. In the present study, the downregulated Cx32 in HCC tissue was found negatively correlated with histological grade and lymph node metastasis. Cx32 regulated HCC migration and invasion in vitro and inhibited tumor metastasis in xenograft models in vivo. We subsequently identified that Cx32 mediated epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) by regulating Snail expression, and the enhanced Snail was due to activation of Wnt/β-catenin signaling in response to Cx32 inhibition. Finally, decreased expression of Cx32 showed strong correlation with loss/reduction of E-cadherin, higher expression of Snail, and nuclear accumulation of β-catenin in HCC tissues. Taken together, our results suggest that Cx32 inhibits HCC invasion and metastasis through Snail-mediated EMT, Cx32 and this signaling pathway molecules may offer potential targets for HCC cancer therapy.
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June-2017
Volume 50 Issue 6

Print ISSN: 1019-6439
Online ISSN:1791-2423

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Spandidos Publications style
Yang Y, Zhang N, Zhu J, Hong X, Liu H, Ou Y, Su F, Wang R, Li Y, Wu Q, Wu Q, et al: Downregulated connexin32 promotes EMT through the Wnt/β-catenin pathway by targeting Snail expression in hepatocellular carcinoma. Int J Oncol 50: 1977-1988, 2017.
APA
Yang, Y., Zhang, N., Zhu, J., Hong, X., Liu, H., Ou, Y. ... Wu, Q. (2017). Downregulated connexin32 promotes EMT through the Wnt/β-catenin pathway by targeting Snail expression in hepatocellular carcinoma. International Journal of Oncology, 50, 1977-1988. https://doi.org/10.3892/ijo.2017.3985
MLA
Yang, Y., Zhang, N., Zhu, J., Hong, X., Liu, H., Ou, Y., Su, F., Wang, R., Li, Y., Wu, Q."Downregulated connexin32 promotes EMT through the Wnt/β-catenin pathway by targeting Snail expression in hepatocellular carcinoma". International Journal of Oncology 50.6 (2017): 1977-1988.
Chicago
Yang, Y., Zhang, N., Zhu, J., Hong, X., Liu, H., Ou, Y., Su, F., Wang, R., Li, Y., Wu, Q."Downregulated connexin32 promotes EMT through the Wnt/β-catenin pathway by targeting Snail expression in hepatocellular carcinoma". International Journal of Oncology 50, no. 6 (2017): 1977-1988. https://doi.org/10.3892/ijo.2017.3985