Transcriptional silencing of ETS-1 abrogates epithelial-mesenchymal transition resulting in reduced motility of pancreatic cancer cells

Li,Chunyan; Wang,Zhonghan; Chen,Yan; Zhou,Min; Zhang,Haijun; Chen,Rong; Shi,Fangfang; Wang,Cailian; Rui,Zongdao

doi:10.3892/or.2014.3613

Transcriptional silencing of ETS-1 abrogates epithelial-mesenchymal transition resulting in reduced motility of pancreatic cancer cells

Authors:
- Chunyan Li
- Zhonghan Wang
- Yan Chen
- Min Zhou
- Haijun Zhang
- Rong Chen
- Fangfang Shi
- Cailian Wang
- Zongdao Rui
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Affiliations: Department of Oncology, Zhongda Hospital, Medical School of Southeast University, Nanjing, Jiangsu 210009, P.R. China, Department of Internal Medicine, Nanjing Government Hospital, Nanjing, Jiangsu 210009, P.R. China, Department of General Surgery, Zhongda Hospital, Medical School of Southeast University, Nanjing, Jiangsu 210009, P.R. China
Published online on: November 21, 2014 https://doi.org/10.3892/or.2014.3613
Pages: 559-565
Copyright: © Li et al. This is an open access article distributed under the terms of Creative Commons Attribution License [CC BY_NC 3.0].

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Abstract

v-ets erythroblastosis virus E26 oncogene homolog 1 (ETS-1) plays crucial roles in a spectrum of malignancies. ETS-1 has gained attention in cancer research for its importance in cell migration, invasion and proliferation. In the present study, we focused on the effect of ETS-1 on epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT), which is characterized by reduced E-cadherin expression and increased N-cadherin expression. We found that ETS-1 mRNA expression was positively correlated with N-cadherin and negatively correlated with E-cadherin mRNA expression in five pancreatic cancer cell lines. To elucidate the functionality of ETS-1 on EMT in pancreatic cancer cells, we constructed a green fluorescent protein (GFP)-expressing plasmid carrying ETS-1 short hairpin RNA (shRNA), and transfected Panc-1 cells with the plasmid. We detected reduced N-cadherin and vascular endothelial growth factor yet higher E-cadherin expression in the ETS-1-silenced cells compared with the control group. In addition, we observed reduced cell migration and increased adhesion in these cells. Our data showed that ETS-1 actively functioned as a regulator of EMT in Panc-1 cells, and provide additional evidence supporting a fundamental role for ETS-1 in metastatic pancreatic cancer cells. These results suggest that analysis of ETS-1 expression levels may provide an avenue for evaluating prognosis in pancreatic cancer.

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