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Honokiol inhibits gallbladder cancer proliferation and epithelial mesenchymal transformation by suppressing TMPRSS4-induced PI3K/AKT activation


Conglin Lin
Congren Wang
Mingzhu Li
Zhibing Cai

Abstract

Purpose: To determine the role of TMPRSS4 in gallbladder cancer (GBC).


Methods: Quantitative reverse-transcription-polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) and western blotting were used to evaluate the  expression of genes, while CCK-8 kit and foci formation assay were used to assess cell growth in GBC-SD and non-obliterative zone (NOZ)  cell lines. Cell apoptosis was evaluated by flow cytometry, while cell migration and cell invasion were determined by Transwell assay in GBCSD and NOZ cell lines.


Results: TMPRSS4 was highly expressed in GBC cells, compared to normal cell, HIBEC. Overexpression of TMPRSS4 enhanced cell viability  and 2D foci formation in GBC-SD (stratified) and NOZ; however, knockdown of TMPRSS4 reduced cell proliferation and colony formation  in the cell lines (p < 0.05). TMPRSS4 deficiency increased cell apoptosis but its reinforced expression decreased cell apoptosis in GBC cell  lines (p < 0.05). Moreover, TMPRSS4 positively regulated cell invasion and migration in GBC cells by upregulating TWIST1, vimentin and N- cadherin. TMPRSS4 also regulated the activation of PI3K/AKT signal pathway. Furthermore, honokiol inhibited gallbladder cancer  proliferation and migration, and induced cell apoptosis by suppressing TMPRSS4-induced PI3K/AKT activation (p < 0.05).


Conclusion:  TMPRSS4 plays an important role in regulating cell growth, apoptosis and metastasis of gallbladder cancer cells (GBC). Thus, TMPRSS4  might be a new biomarker in gallbladder cancer.  


Journal Identifiers


eISSN: 1596-9827
print ISSN: 1596-5996