TY - JOUR AB - The basic helix-loop-helix transcription factor AP4 (TFAP4) gene serves an important function in the genesis and progression of tumors. However, few studies to date have defined the role of this gene in colorectal cancer (CRC). The aim of the present study was to assess the expression of TFAP4 in CRC and its impact on the prognosis of patients with CRC. In the present study, the expression of TFAP4 was detected in 30 matched pairs of fresh CRC tissues, 187 cases of clinical paraffin‑embedded CRC tissues and CRC cell lines using the reverse transcriptase‑quantitative polymerase chain reaction, immunohistochemistry or western blot analysis. Survival analysis was based on TFAP4 expression. The effects of TFAP4 on CRC cell function were investigated by ectopic expression or knockdown of TFAP4 in vitro. TFAP4 expression was revealed to be increased in human CRC tissues and cell lines. The overall survival (OS) time of patients with high TFAP4 expression was significantly decreased compared with patients with low TFAP4 expression (P<0.001). In addition, TFAP4 was revealed to be an independent prognostic factor for the OS time of patients with CRC (hazard ratio, 2.607; 95% confidence interval, 1.469‑4.627; P=0.001). Ectopic TFAP4 expression promoted CRC cell proliferation, migration and invasion in vitro, and the silencing of TFAP4 expression resulted in the inhibition of these events. These results demonstrated that TFAP4, which was overexpressed in CRC tissues and cell lines, increased the malignant potential of CRC cells and may serve as an indicator for poor prognosis in patients with CRC. AD - Department of Gastrointestinal Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat‑sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong 510080, P.R. China Department of Clinical Laboratory, The Sixth Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat‑sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong 510655, P.R. China AU - Yang,Jie AU - Ma,Jin‑Ping AU - Xiao,Siyu AU - Zhang,Xin‑Hua AU - Xu,Jian‑Bo AU - Chen,Chuang‑Qi AU - Cai,Shi‑Rong AU - He,Yu‑Long DA - 2018/05/01 DO - 10.3892/ol.2018.8290 EP - 7554 IS - 5 JO - Oncol Lett KW - transcription factor AP4 colorectal cancer cell proliferation metastasis PY - 2018 SN - 1792-1074 1792-1082 SP - 7545 ST - Evaluating the prognostic value and functional roles of transcription factor AP4 in colorectal cancer T2 - Oncology Letters TI - Evaluating the prognostic value and functional roles of transcription factor AP4 in colorectal cancer UR - https://doi.org/10.3892/ol.2018.8290 VL - 15 ER -