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Dysregulated RUNX1 Predicts Poor Prognosis by Mediating Epithelialmesenchymal Transition in Cervical Cancer

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Abstract

Objective

Runt-related transcription factor 1 (RUNX1) has been proven to be over-expressed and vital in many malignancies. However, its role in cervical cancer is still unclear.

Methods

Some online databases (Oncomine, GEPIA, UALCAN, LinkedOmics, and others) were used to explore the expression level, prognostic significance, and gene mutation characteristics of RUNX1 in cervical cancer. The protein levels of RUNX1 in cervical cancer were measured by immunohistochemistry (IHC). The functional changes of cervical cancer cells were measured in vitro after decreasing RUNX1.

Results

Bioinformatic results revealed that RUNX1 was upregulated in cervical cancer compared to normal tissues. Moreover, over-expression of RUNX1 was significantly correlated with cervical cancer patients’ clinical parameters (e.g., individual cancer stages, patients’ age, nodal metastasis status, and others). Meanwhile, functional enrichment analysis of RUNX1-related genes indicated that RUNX1 was mainly involved in the epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) process in cervical cancer. Furthermore, RUNX1 may be upregulated by hsamiR-616-5p and hsa-miR-766 identified by miRDB, TargetScan, and miRWalk. Finally, RUNX1 was upregulated in cervical cancer compared to normal tissues by IHC in collected cervical cancer samples. The invasion and migration abilities of cervical cancer cells were significantly reduced by repressing EMT after knocking down RUNX1 in vitro.

Conclusion

RUNX1 was highly expressed in cervical cancer, and upregulated RUNX1 could significantly promote the invasive abilities of cervical cancer cells by inducing EMT. Therefore, RUNX1 may be a potential biomarker for early diagnosis and targeted therapy of cervical cancer.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Nuclear Medicine, Beijing Friendship Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, 100050, China

    Ling-ling Zheng & Ji-gang Yang

  2. Department of Nuclear Medicine, Huashan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200040, China

    Ling-ling Zheng, Xiao-qing Zhang, Zhe Lei & Xing-dang Liu

  3. Reproductive Medicine Center, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, 430030, China

    Lei Cai

  4. Department of Thoracic Surgery, the Affiliated Cancer Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Henan Cancer Hospital, Zhengzhou, 450003, China

    Chang-sheng Yi

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  1. Ling-ling Zheng
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Correspondence to Chang-sheng Yi, Xing-dang Liu or Ji-gang Yang.

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Zheng, Ll., Cai, L., Zhang, Xq. et al. Dysregulated RUNX1 Predicts Poor Prognosis by Mediating Epithelialmesenchymal Transition in Cervical Cancer. CURR MED SCI 42, 1285–1296 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11596-022-2661-x

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11596-022-2661-x

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