Cyclin B1 Suppresses Colorectal Cancer Invasion and Metastasis by Regulating E-Cadherin

Cyclin B1, a mitotic cyclin, has been implicated in malignances. However, its contribution to colorectal cancer invasion and metastasis are still not well understood. Here, we demonstrated that the invasion and metastasis of colorectal cancer is regulated by Cyclin B1. Overexpression of Cyclin B1 was observed in colorectal cancer tissues, but this elevated expression was negatively associated with lymph node metastasis, distant metastasis stage, and TNM stage. The Kaplan-Meier survival analysis proved that low Cyclin B1 expression was associated with poor overall survival of patients with colorectal cancer. Inhibition of Cyclin B1 in colorectal cancer cells enhanced the cell migration and invasion of three different colorectal cancer cell lines. In studying the possible mechanism by which Cyclin B1 suppresses colorectal cancer invasion and metastasis, we observed that suppression of Cyclin B1 decreased the expression of E-cadherin protein level. Our findings suggest that Cyclin B1 could suppress the invasion and metastasis of colorectal cancer cells through regulating E-cadherin expression, which enables the development of potential intervention strategies for colorectal cancer.     

Matrix metalloproteinase-2 and -9 in bile as a marker of liver metastasis in colorectal cancer

Matrix metallproteinases (MMP)-2 and -9 are associated with cancer invasion and metastasis. MMP-2 and MMP-9 activities have never been assayed in bile. In the present study we investigated whether MMP-2 and -9 activities in the bile could be a marker for evaluation of liver metastasis in colorectal cancer. Fifty-three patients underwent colorectal resection for histologically verified adenocarcinoma. Twenty-six patients had colorectal cancer without liver metastasis and 27 patients had metastatic liver tumor. Six patients were studied as carcinoma-free control. MMP-2 and MMP-9 activities were assayed in bile using gelatin zymography and quantitated. Active MMP-2 activity of colorectal cancer with liver metastasis group (24.1 +/- 2.5 pixel count) was significantly higher than that of colorectal cancer without liver metastasis group (11.4 +/- 1.3 pixel count) (P < 0.001) or of control group (6.4 +/- 1.0 pixel count) (P < 0.001). Active MMP-9 was not detected in bile. ProMMP-9 activity of colorectal cancer with liver metastasis group (530.3 +/- 127.5 pixel count) was significantly higher than that of colorectal cancer without liver metastasis group (213.9 +/- 33.2 pixel count) (P = 0.008). This is the first report showing that the levels of active MMP-2 and proMMP-9 in bile were significantly higher in liver metastasis of colorectal cancer than in metastasis-free colorectal cancer. The results suggest that activities of active MMP-2 and proMMP-9 in the bile may be useful markers for predicting liver metastasis in colorectal cancer.     

结直肠癌组织ANP32A、Ataxin-3、FHL1的表达及其与肝转移的关系研究

摘要 目的：探讨结直肠癌组织中酸性核磷蛋白32A（ANP32A）、Ataxin-3及4个半LIM结构域蛋白1（FHL1）的表达及其与肝转移的关系。方法：对120例结直肠癌患者癌组织和癌旁组织中ANP32A、Ataxin-3及FHL1蛋白水平进行检测,分析其阳性表达率。其中44例发生肝转移作为肝转移组,76例无肝转移作为无肝转移组,比较两组癌组织中ANP32A、Ataxin-3及FHL1蛋白阳性表达率,分析结直肠癌肝转移的影响因素,分析ANP32A、Ataxin-3、FHL1蛋白之间的相关性。结果：结直肠癌患者癌组织中ANP32A蛋白阳性表达率高于癌旁组织,Ataxin-3、FHL1蛋白阳性表达率低于癌旁组织（P<0.05）。经单因素分析显示肝转移组患者癌组织中ANP32A蛋白阳性表达率显著高于无肝转移组,Ataxin-3、FHL1蛋白阳性表达率显著低于无肝转移组（P<0.05）,肝转移组患者原发癌中低分化、原发癌浸润深度T3~T4、原发癌有淋巴结转移者构成比显著高于无肝转移组（P<0.05）。多因素Logistic回归分析显示,ANP32A蛋白阳性表达、原发癌中低分化、原发癌浸润深度T3~T4、原发癌有淋巴结转移是结直肠癌肝转移的危险因素（P<0.05）,Ataxin-3、FHL1蛋白阳性表达是结直肠癌肝转移的保护因素（P<0.05）。Spearman相关分析显示,结直肠癌患者癌组织中ANP32A阳性表达率与Ataxin-3、FHL1阳性表达率呈负相关（P<0.05）,Ataxin-3蛋白阳性表达率与FHL1蛋白阳性表达率呈正相关（P<0.05）。结论：ANP32A蛋白高表达,Ataxin-3、FHL1蛋白低表达与结直肠癌发生及肝转移有密切关系,且以上指标间具有一定相关性。结直肠癌肝转移受多种因素影响,临床诊治中可根据相关因素为患者制定针对性治疗方案。     

大肠癌转移相关分子标签的筛选

目的:筛选与转移相关的大肠癌分子标签.方法:本文通过对大肠癌表达谱数据进行分析,按照表达谱中大肠癌转移情况,组织学分化程度以及患者生存时间进行显著性分析,将与大肠癌转移相关的具有显著性意义的基因群进行聚类,通过主成分分析以及自组织映射的方法计算出差异表达基因中,起着主体分类作用的基因群.结果:筛选出与肿瘤组织分化程度以及患者生存时间相关的差异表达基因,进行功能富集,并筛选出了一批与大肠癌转移密切相关的重要基因,这些基因对大肠癌早期诊断,及时治疗,预后评估有着重要意义.结论:细胞代谢,趋化因子信号通路和细胞因子受体等分子事件与大肠癌分化程度密切相关,是否发生转移与大肠癌的预后生存期密切相关.     

GJA1在结直肠癌组织中表达及促进侵袭转移的研究

摘要 目的：间隙连接Alpha-1蛋白（Gap Junction Alpha-1,GJA1）是间隙连接中分布最广泛的蛋白,并在多种肿瘤中起促癌作用,但其在结直肠癌发生、发展的作用研究甚少。本实验旨在探究GJA1在结直肠癌组织中的表达情况及其对结直肠癌细胞系侵袭、转移能力的影响,以期为结直肠癌的诊断和预后寻找新的生物标志物。方法：收集92对结直肠癌及其癌旁组织样本,提取组织RNA,利用qRT-PCR检测GJA1相对表达量,并分析GJA1表达与临床病理特征及预后的相关性。在HCT116和HCT8两种结直肠癌细胞系中分别构建GJA1过表达载体和敲减载体,利用qRT-PCR和、Western Blot检测上皮间充质转化（epithelial-mesenchymal transition, EMT）相关蛋白E-Cadherin、N-Cadherin、Vimentin和Snail的表达变化,利用Wound healing和Transwell实验观察其迁移、侵袭能力的变化。结果：相对于癌旁组织,GJA1在结直肠癌组织中显著低表达。并且结直肠癌中低表达的GJA1与肿瘤分化程度、浸润深度、淋巴血管转移相关,低表达GJA1结直肠癌患者显示更差的总体生存率和更低的无病生存率。此外,过表达GJA1后,结直肠癌细胞E-cadherin的表达升高,N-cadherin、Vimentin和Snail的表达降低,划痕愈合减慢,Transwell转移细胞减少;而敲减GJA1后,结直肠癌细胞E-Cadherin的表达降低,N-Cadherin、Vimentin和Snail的表达升高,划痕愈合加快,Transwell转移细胞增多。结论：GJA1在结直肠癌中低表达,其表达降低可通过EMT促进结直肠癌的侵袭、转移并影响病人预后。     

CREB5在大肠癌转移中的调控机制

大肠癌转移过程中所涉及的细胞信号调控网络非常复杂, 寻找调控网络中的关键调控点对阐明大肠癌转移机制以及寻找药物治疗靶点均具有重要意义。研究表明, CREB5 (cAMP responsive element binding protein 5)可能为大肠癌转移相关信号调控网络中的关键基因。文章基于大肠癌表达谱数据, 根据CREB5基因表达值的大小对大肠癌的相关分子事件进行了富集分析, 发现这些分子事件与肿瘤转移密切相关。根据CREB5能够和c-Jun结合成为异二聚体的特点, 联合分析转录因子AP-1结合位点的富集情况, 筛选出在CREB5基因高表达组中表达上调、具有AP-1结合位点、且属于癌症通路的基因16个, 这些基因所构成的分子网络与细胞迁移功能类相关度最高。细胞迁移功能类主要由5个基因——CSF1R、MMP9、PDGFRB、FIGF和IL6所构成, 因此CREB5可能是通过调控这5个关键基因进而促进大肠癌的转移。     

PDGF-D、MPO与CD15在大肠癌中的表达及临床相关性研究

目的：探讨血小板源性生长因子D（PDGF-D）、髓过氧化物酶（MPO）YL粒细胞相关抗原（CD15）在大肠癌组织中的表达及其与临床特征之间的关系。方法：采用免疫组化染色方法检测88例大肠癌组织、72例大肠腺瘤组织及50例正常大肠粘膜组织中PDGF-D、MPO及CD15的表达情况。结果：PDGF—D、MPO、CD15在大肠癌组织中的阳性表达率分别为85．23％、63．64％、61．36％。PDGF—D、MPO在正常组、大肠腺瘤组和大肠癌组三者之间的表达均有显著性差异（P〈0．05）。CD15在正常组、大肠腺瘤组中的阳性表达率与大肠癌组中的阳性表达率有显著性差异（P〈0．05）,但在正常组与大肠腺瘤组中的阳性表达率无显著性差异（P〉0．05）。PDGF—D、MPO、CD15的表达在有淋巴结转移组织中的阳性率分别为92_31％、75．00％,73．08％;在无淋巴结转移组织中的阳性率分别为75．00％、52．78％,47．22％,三者在有无淋巴结转移组织中的阳性率均有显著性差异（P〈0．05）。PDGF．D、MPO、CD15在大肠癌中的表达与性别、年龄及组织分化程度均无相关（P〉0．05）。经Spearman相关性分析,PDGF—D及MPO在大肠癌的表达具有相关性（P〈O．05）。大肠癌中CD15与PDGF—D、MPO的表达无明显相关性（P〉0．05）：结论：PDGF—D、MPO与CDl5在大肠癌中的高表达,提示均参与了大肠癌的发生发展,可作为大肠癌恶性程度和侵袭转移的分子生物学标志物。     

iTRAQ analysis of colorectal cancer cell lines suggests Drebrin (DBN1) is overexpressed during liver metastasis

Colorectal cancer is currently the third in cancer incidence worldwide and the fourth most common cause of cancer deaths. Mortality in colorectal cancer is often ascribed to liver metastasis. In an effort to elucidate the proteins involved in colorectal cancer liver metastasis, we compared the proteome profiles of the human colon adenocarcinoma cell line HCT‐116 with its metastatic derivative E1, using the iTRAQ labelling technology, coupled to 2D‐LC and MALDI‐TOF/TOF MS. A total of 547 proteins were identified, of which 31 of them were differentially expressed in the E1 cell line. Among these proteins, the differential expressions of translationally controlled tumour protein 1, A‐kinase anchor protein 12 and Drebrin (DBN1) were validated using Western blot. In particular, DBN1, a protein not previously known to be involved in colorectal cancer metastasis, was found to be overexpressed in E1 as compared to HCT‐116 cells. The overexpression of DBN1 was further validated using immunohistochemistry on colorectal cancer tissue sections with matched lymph node and liver metastasis tissues. DBN1 is currently believed to be involved in actin cytoskeleton reorganisation and suppresses actin filament cross‐linking and bundling. Since actin reorganisation is an important process for tumour cell migration and invasion, DBN1 may have an important role during colorectal cancer metastasis.     

CEA mRNA在大肠癌患者微转移早期预测中的意义

目的:大肠癌是最常见的恶性肿瘤之一,血行转移是大肠癌根治性手术失败的原因之一,在根治性切除肿瘤患者中,有大部分患者死于肿瘤的复发和转移,因此早期发现大肠癌微转移,对于延长患者预后指导下一步治疗具有重要意义。本研究已检测大肠癌患者外周血和引流静脉血中CEA mRNA的表达,以探索手术操作和微转移的关系,以及引流静脉血中微转移的发生与临床病理因素的关系,探讨早期发现大肠癌血循环微转移的意义。方法:应用逆转录多聚酶链式反应(RT-PCR)法检测大肠癌患者手术前,手术后外周血及引流静脉血液中的CEA mRNA水平。结果:(1)大肠癌患者术前外周血CEA mRNA阳性率26.7%(16/60),引流静脉血阳性率48.3%(29/60),引流静脉血明显高于外周静脉血(P0.05)。(2)大肠癌引流静脉血中CEA mRNA在肿瘤大于5厘米者、Dukes C期、中低分化程度、有淋巴转移者、浸及浆膜者比外周静脉血更有统计学上的意义。(3)手术前后引流静脉血CEAm RNA阳性率具有显著差异(P0.05),外周血CEA mRNA阳性率无显著差异。结论:大肠癌引流静脉血微转移是大肠癌肝转移的发生的早期阶段,引流静脉血CEA mRNA的表达能更早期反映出大肠癌患者微转移的发生,引流静脉微转移发生率与肿瘤分化程度、浸润深度、TNM分期、淋巴结转移、远处转移相关,是反映大肠癌生物学行为的指标之一,手术对大肠癌血循环微转移有促进作用。     

Clinical Significance of Frizzled Homolog 3 Protein in Colorectal Cancer Patients

Frizzled homolog 3 receptor was up-regulated in several gastrointestinal cancers such as esophageal and gastric cancers. Moreover, frizzled homolog 3 has recently reported to be expressed in colorectal adenoma specimens. In the present study, we investigated the clinical significance of frizzled homolog 3 protein in colorectal cancer patients. Using immunocytochemical staining, frizzled homolog 3 expression was examined in 186 colorectal cancer specimens, 79 colorectal adenoma specimens, 133 colorectal polyp specimens, 127 colorectal cancer specimens with lymph node and/or distant metastasis, 310 specimens of various non-colorectal cancer metastatic carcinomas and 40 specimens with simultaneous occurrence of colorectal cancer, colorectal adenoma and colorectal polyp. Statistical analysis was used to correlate frizzled homolog 3 protein expression to the clinicohistopathological factors, recurrence/metastasis and survival after follow-up for 42 months in colorectal cancer patients. Frizzled homolog 3 protein was expressed in 100% colorectal cancer specimens, 89% colorectal adenoma specimens, 75% colorectal polyp specimens and 69% normal colorectal epithelial tissues. Moreover, frizzled homolog 3 immunocytochemical scores were highly correlated with colorectal cancer progression. Furthermore, frizzled homolog 3 was expressed in a comparatively lower percentage of metastatic hepatocellular carcinoma and metastatic renal clear cell carcinoma with focal and very weak staining than other metastatic tumor types. On the other hand, the frizzled homolog 3 immunocytochemical scores of colorectal adenomas with synchronous colorectal carcinomas were significantly higher than those of pure colorectal adenomas. Statistical analysis showed that frizzled homolog 3 immunocytochemical scores were associated with Dukes stage and lymph node status. Finally, stratified groups of colorectal cancer patients had significant differences in their recurrence/metastasis and survival. In conclusion, the present large-scale study has clearly showed that frizzled homolog 3 protein can generate clinically important information for colorectal cancer patients.     

Effect of Chronic Psychological Stress on Liver Metastasis of Colon Cancer in Mice

Metastasis to the liver is a main factor in colorectal cancer mortality. Previous studies suggest that chronic psychological stress is important in cancer progression, but its effect on liver metastasis has not been investigated. To address this, we established a liver metastasis model in BALB/c nude mice to investigate the role of chronic stress in liver metastasis. Our data suggest that chronic stress elevates catecholamine levels and promotes liver metastasis. Chronic stress was also associated with increased tumor associated macrophages infiltration into the primary tumor and increased the expression of metastatic genes. Interestingly, β-blocker treatment reversed the effects of chronic stress on liver metastasis. Our results suggest the β-adrenergic signaling pathway is involved in regulating colorectal cancer progression and liver metastasis. Additionally, we submit that adjunctive therapy with a β-blocker may complement existing colorectal cancer therapies.     

MACC1在结肠癌中表达及其临床病理意义

目的：观察MAccl（metastasis．associatedincoloncancer-1）在结肠癌中的表达并分析其与大肠癌临床病理特征的关系。方法：选择我院2001年1月～2011年12月收治的317例接受结肠癌根治术治疗的结肠癌患者为研究对象,通过免疫组织化学技术检测MACCl在结肠癌及癌旁正常结肠组织中的表达,并分析MACCl的表达与结肠癌患者临床病理指标和生存期的相关性。结果：MACCl在结肠癌中的阳性表达率选择高于癌旁正常结肠组织（P〈0．05）。MACCl的表达与肿瘤的大小、临床分期、淋巴结转移、远处转移均显著相关（P〈0．05）,MACCl阳性表达病例的肿瘤体积较MACCl阴性表达病例大,临床分期较MACCl阴性表达病例晚,淋巴结转移和远处转移的发生率较MACCl阴性表达者高,均有统计学意义（P〈0．05）。MACCl阳性表达病例的生存率和生存期均较MACCl阴性表达病例显著降低和缩短（P=0．01）。结论：MACCl的表达上调与结肠癌的发生发展密切相关,可能作为评估结肠癌患者预后的参考指标。     

CEAmRNA在大肠癌患者微转移早期预测中的意义

目的：大肠癌是最常见的恶性肿瘤之一,血行转移是大肠癌根治性手术失败的原因之一,在根治性切除肿瘤患者中,有大部分患者死于肿瘤的复发和转移,因此早期发现大肠癌微转移,对于延长患者预后指导下一步治疗具有重要意义。本研究已检测大肠癌患者外周血和引流静脉血中CEAmRNA的表达,以探索手术操作和微转移的关系,以及引流静脉血中微转移的发生与临床病理因素的关系,探讨早期发现大肠癌血循环微转移的意义。方法：应用逆转录多聚酶链式反应（RT-PCR）法检测大肠癌患者手术前,手术后外周血及引流静脉血液中的CEAmRNA水平。结果：（1）大肠癌患者术前外周血CEAmRNA阳性率26．7％（16／60）,引流静脉血阳性率48.3％（29／60）,引流静脉血明显高于外周静脉血（P〈0．05）。（2）大肠癌引流静脉血中CEAmRNA在肿瘤大于5厘米者、DukesC期、中低分化程度、有淋巴转移者、浸及浆膜者比外周静脉血更有统计学上的意义。（3）手术前后引流静脉血CEAmRNA阳性率具有显著差异（P〈O．05）,外周血CEAmRNA阳性率无显著差异。结论：大肠癌引流静脉血微转移是大肠癌肝转移的发生的早期阶段,引流静脉血CEAmRNA的表达能更早期反映出大肠癌患者微转移的发生,引流静脉微转移发生率与肿瘤分化程度、浸润深度、TNM分期、淋巴结转移、远处转移相关,是反映大肠癌生物学行为的指标之一,手术对大肠癌血循环微转移有促进作用。     

Transketolase promotes colorectal cancer metastasis through regulating AKT phosphorylation

Transketolase (TKT) which is an important metabolic enzyme in the pentose phosphate pathway (PPP) participates in maintaining ribose 5-phosphate levels. TKT is necessary for maintaining cell growth. However, we found that in addition to this, TKT can also affect tumor progression through other ways. Our previous study indicate that TKT could promote the development of liver cancer by affecting bile acid metabolism. And in this study, we discovered that TKT expression was remarkably upregulated in colorectal cancer, abnormal high expression of TKT is associated with poor prognosis of colorectal cancer. Additionally, TKT promoted colorectal cancer cell growth and metastasis. Further study demonstrated that TKT interacted with GRP78 and promoted colorectal cancer cell glycolysis through increasing AKT phosphorylation, thereby enhancing colorectal cancer cell metastasis. Thus, TKT is expected to become an indicator for judging the prognosis of colorectal cancer, and provide a theoretical basis for drug development of new treatment targets for colorectal cancer.Subject terms: Cancer, Cell biology     

Suppression of Colorectal Cancer Liver Metastasis by Apolipoprotein(a) Kringle V in a Nude Mouse Model through the Induction of Apoptosis in Tumor-Associated Endothelial Cells

The formation of liver metastases in colorectal cancer patients is the primary cause of patient death. Current therapies directed at liver metastasis from colorectal cancer have had minimal impact on patient outcomes. Therefore, the development of alternative treatment strategies for liver metastasis is needed. In the present study, we demonstrated that recombinant human apolipoprotein(a) kringle V, also known as rhLK8, induced the apoptotic turnover of endothelial cells in vitro through the mitochondrial apoptosis pathway. The interaction of rhLK8 with glucose-regulated protein 78 (GRP78) may be involved in the induction of apoptosis because the inhibition of GRP78 by GRP78-specific antibodies or siRNA knockdown inhibited the rhLK8-mediated apoptosis of human umbilical vein endothelial cells in vitro. Next, to evaluate the effects of rhLK8 on angiogenesis and metastasis, an experimental model of liver metastasis was established by injecting a human colorectal cancer cell line, LS174T, into the spleens of BALB/c nude mice. The systemic administration of rhLK8 significantly suppressed liver metastasis from human colorectal cancer cells and improved host survival compared with controls. The combination of rhLK8 and 5-fluorouracil substantially increased these survival benefits compared with either therapy alone. Histological observation showed significant induction of apoptosis among tumor-associated endothelial cells in liver metastases from rhLK8-treated mice compared with control mice. Collectively, these results suggest that the combination of rhLK8 with conventional chemotherapy may be a promising approach for the treatment of patients with life-threatening colorectal cancer liver metastases.     

结直肠癌PTEN基因表达及与p-ERK相关性研究

目的 研究结直肠癌中的PTEN、p-ERK蛋白的表达及相互关系,初步探讨它们在结直肠癌的发生发展中的生物学意义.方法 应用免疫组织化学染色快捷法,检测40例结直肠癌组织、18例结直肠腺瘤、13例结直肠正常黏膜中PTEN蛋白、和p-ERK蛋白的表达情况,比较PTEN蛋白表达与临床病理指标的关系,及其与p-ERK蛋白表达的相关性.结果 1.结直肠癌癌组织PTEN蛋白表达的阳性率(57.5％)明显弱于腺瘤(72.2％)及正常组织(100％),组间比较差异有显著性(P＜0.05),其表达水平与结直肠癌的分化程度、淋巴结转移、浸润深度、Dukes分期有关,与患者的性别、年龄,肿瘤大小及位置无关(P＞0.05)2.结直肠癌组织p-ERK蛋白表达的阳性率(72.5％)明显高于正常结直肠黏膜组(0.00％)及腺瘤组(66.6％),组间比较差异有显著性(P＜0.01),其表达随结直肠癌侵润深度增加、淋巴结转移、Duke分期的进展而增高.3.PTEN蛋白表达强度与p-ERK蛋白表达强度之间呈负相关(r=-0.452,P＜0.05).结论 提示抑癌基因PTEN的表达与结直肠癌生物学行为密切相关;在结直肠癌发生、发展过程中,可能由于PTEN蛋白的低表达或失表达不能有效抑制ERK磷酸化,使细胞发生癌变,并促进癌变细胞的浸润、转移.     

Inhibitory effect of starfish polysaccharides on metastasis in HT-29 human colorectal adenocarcinoma

In the present study, we investigated the effects of starfish (Asterina pectinifera) polysaccharides on cancer proliferation and metastasis in HT-29 human colorectal adenocarcinoma. Cytokine-stimulated expression of inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS), which is closely associated with cancer proliferation, invasion and metastasis, was dose-dependently diminished by treatment with the starfish polysaccharides. 12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol-13-acetate (TPA)-induced activity and expression of matrix metalloproteinase (MMP)-2, a major inducer of metastasis in colorectal cancer, were also down-regulated in a dose-dependent manner. In contrast, tissue inhibitor of matrix metalloproteinase (TIMP)-1 and -2 mRNA, which play critical roles in preventing metastasis, increased over the polysaccharides concentration range 10 ?? 120 ??g/mL. In the wound healing assay, HT-29 human colorectal adenocarcinoma migration activated by TPA was decreased by treatment with the starfish polysaccharides. These results indicate that the starfish polysaccharides inhibited human colorectal cancer proliferation and metastasis by preventing nitrogen oxide synthesis, which occurred via inhibition of iNOS and MMP-2 activity and expression and induction of TIMP-1 and -2 expressions. This report demonstrates that starfish polysaccharides may be used as an anti-proliferation and -metastatic material for the treatment of human colorectal cancer.     

PMEPA1 induces EMT via a non‐canonical TGF‐β signalling in colorectal cancer

Prostate transmembrane protein androgen induced 1 (PMEPA1) has been reported to promote cancer progression. Metastasis is the main factor leading to cancer progression and poor prognosis, and at the beginning of metastasis, epithelial‐to‐mesenchymal transition (EMT) is a crucial activation. However, the relationship between PMEPA1 and EMT in colorectal cancer metastasis is still poorly understood. In this study, we first testified that PMEPA1 expresses higher in tumour than normal tissue in Gene Expression Omnibus database, in the Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) as well as in the clinical data we collected. Moreover, the higher expression was associated with poor prognosis. We furthermore demonstrated PMEPA1 promotes colorectal cancer metastasis and EMT in vivo and in vitro. We found that PMEPA1 activates the bone morphogenetic proteins (BMP) signalling of TGF‐β signalling resulting in promoting EMT and accelerating the proliferation and metastasis of colorectal cancer.     

Proteomic analysis of Tiam1-mediated metastasis in colorectal cancer

Tiam1 (T lymphoma invasion and metastasis 1), a guanine nucleotide exchange factor that activates Rac, was recently identified as a novel colorectal cancer metastasis-related gene. To better understand the mechanism underlying Tiam1-mediated metastasis, we applied two-dimensional polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (2-DE) and matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF MS) analysis to identify differentially expressed proteins between Tiam1 transfected and mock transfected colorectal cancer HT29 cells. Eleven differentially expressed proteins were identified and further validated by Western blot and/or real-time PCR. The results revealed that Tiam1 transfection in colorectal cancer cells could upregulate the expression of Fascin-1, heat shock protein 27 (HSP27), high-mobility group box 1 (HMGB1), glutathione S-transferase omega 1 (GSTO1) and downregulate the expression of annexin IV. These differentially expressed proteins may be directly or indirectly regulated by Tiam1 and be helpful in studying mechanisms that lead to the function of Tiam1. These results give some clues to elucidate the mechanism of Tiam1-mediated metastasis for colorectal cancer.