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Twist expression associated with the epithelial-mesenchymal transition in gastric cancer

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Abstract

This study aimed to investigate the expression of Twist in gastric cancer tissues and its correlation between Twist and the epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT). By means of RT-PCR and Western blot, the mRNA and protein expressions of Twist, E-cadherin, and Vimentin in 61 gastric cancer tissues and adjacent normal tissues were detected. The positive rates of Twist, E-cadherin, and Vimentin mRNA expression in gastric cancer tissues were 73.9. 40.6, and 60.9 %, respectively; compared to the expression of these genes in adjacent normal tissues (2.9, 75.4, and 27.5 %), the differences were significant (p < 0.05). The E-cadherin protein expression level in gastric cancer tissues was significantly lower than that in the adjacent normal tissues (p < 0.05). After the transfection of Twist siRNA into the MKN45 cells, the protein expression of Twist was significantly reduced (p < 0.05), the protein expression of E-cadherin was significantly increased, and the number of cells that passed through the Transwell chamber was significantly lower than that in the non-transfected control group as well as the transfected control group (p < 0.05). Twist may be associated with the epithelial-mesenchymal transition in gastric cancer and the tumorigenesis, invasion, and metastasis of gastric cancer.

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Acknowledgments

This study was supported by the grant from Youth Training Plan of Sun Yat-Sen University (No. 10ykpy38), the Research Award Fund for Outstanding Young researchers in Sun Yat-sen Cancer Center (No. 303045172006; No. 303045172005), the National Natural Science Foundation of China (No. 30901728), and the Science & Technology Pillar Program of Guangdong Province (No. 2011B031800220).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Medical Oncology, Affiliate Wuxi 4th People’s Hospital of Soochow University, No. 200, Huihe Rd, Wuxi, 214062, China

    Ai-ning Liu, Shu-jian Chang & Xiao-sheng Hang

  2. State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China, Guangzhou, China

    Zhi-Hua Zhu

  3. Department of Thoracic Surgery, Cancer Center, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China

    Zhi-Hua Zhu

Authors
  1. Ai-ning Liu
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  2. Zhi-Hua Zhu
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  3. Shu-jian Chang
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  4. Xiao-sheng Hang
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Xiao-sheng Hang.

Additional information

Ai-ning Liu and Zhi-Hua Zhu contributed equally to this study.

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Liu, An., Zhu, ZH., Chang, Sj. et al. Twist expression associated with the epithelial-mesenchymal transition in gastric cancer. Mol Cell Biochem 367, 195–203 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11010-012-1333-8

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11010-012-1333-8

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