Hypoxia promotes epithelial-mesenchymal transition of hepatocellular carcinoma cells via inducing Twist1 expression

  • X. D. Zhang
  • , X. Q. Dong
  • , J. L. Xu
  • , S. C. Chen
  • , Z. Sun

Research output: Contribution to journalJournal Article peer-review

15 Scopus citations

Abstract

OBJECTIVE: To investigate whether hypoxia microenvironment induced hepatocellular carcinoma cells SMMC-7721 epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) and to explore the underlying molecular mechanism.

MATERIALS AND METHODS: In this study, SMMC-7721 cells were cultured under normoxia and hypoxia conditions, respectively. RT-PCR and Western blot were used to monitor the expression level of EMT-related markers, E-cadherin, and vimentin, as well as hypoxia inducible factor-1α (HIF-1α) and Twist1. Then we performed the transwell invasion assays to detect the ability of cell invasion.

RESULTS: The results demonstrated that hypoxia micro-environment could induce hepatocellular carcinoma cells SMMC-7721 EMT and enhance the cell invasion ability. Furthermore, knockdown of Twist1 by using specific siRNA could reverse hypoxia-induced EMT process.

CONCLUSIONS: Hypoxia promotes hepatocellular carcinoma cells SMMC-7721 EMT by upregulating the expression of Twist1.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)3061-3068
Number of pages8
JournalEuropean Review for Medical and Pharmacological Sciences
Volume21
Issue number13
StatePublished - 01 07 2017

UN SDGs

This output contributes to the following UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

  1. SDG 3 - Good Health and Well-being
    SDG 3 Good Health and Well-being

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