BMP4 promotes migration and invasion of hepatocellular carcinoma by inducing epithelial-mesenchymal transition / 中国肿瘤临床

ABSTRACT

Objective:To determine the expression of BMP4 in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and to study the role of BMP4 in inducing epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) to analyze the effect of BMP4 on the migration and invasion of HCC cells. Methods: The expression of BMP4 in HCC specimens was examined by immunohistochemistry staining, and the correlations were analyzed between the expression of BMP4 and clinicopathological data. The BMP4 expression plasmid was transfected into HepG2 cells to induce exogenous overexpression of BMP4 protein. The changes of HepG2 cell morphology were detected after BMP4 transfection by using a microscope; the changes of the expression of BMP4, EMT-related protein (E-cadherin, Vimentin) in HepG2 cells were detected by Western blot after transfection of BMP4;the wound healing assay in vitro was used to detect the effects of BMP4 gene transfection on the ability of migration of HepG2 cells;the invasion assay was used to determine the role of transfection of BMP4 on the invasive potential of HepG2 cells. Results: Immunohistochemistry staining method displayed that BMP4 expression was positively associated with age, histological differentiation, stage, and poor prognosis. After BMP4 overexpression, the morphology of HepG2 cells showed significant changes from a paving stone structure with cell-cell adhesion to a fibroblastic shape, which showed typical EMT change; Western blot exhibited that the expression of E-cadherin was downregulated and the Vimentin expression was upregulated in HepG2 cells;the wound healing and invasion assay showed that the migration and invasion potentials of HepG2 cells were significantly enhanced. Conclusion: BMP4, which displayed a high expression in HCC specimens, was closely associated with clinicopathologic data, and BMP4 may promote migration and invasion of HCC cells by inducing epithelial-mesenchymal transition.