Down-regulation of WAVE2, WASP family verprolin-homologous protein 2, in gastric cancer indicates lymph node metastasis and cell migration.
BACKGROUND
WAVE2 plays a crucial role in actin polymerisation and cell migration. We aimed to investigate the expression and cellular functions of WAVE2 in human gastric cancer (GC).


MATERIALS AND METHODS
The level of WAVE2 was determined using quantitative PCR (Q-PCR) in a cohort of human gastric tissues. Expression of WAVE2, ARP2, NWASP, ROCK1 and ROCK2 was examined using RT-PCR in paired tissues. WAVE2 and ARP2 protein co-expression was examined. Anti-WAVE2 transgene ribozymes were constructed and transiently transfected into human GC cells.


RESULTS
Down-regulation of WAVE2 expression in GC was significantly correlated with lymph node metastasis. WAVE2 was positively correlated with E-cadherin and negatively with TWIST. Immunohistochemically, WAVE2 and ARP2 were not co-expressed in serial mirror sections. In vitro, WAVE2 knockdown was shown to increase cell motility, whilst ROCK inhibitor treatment reduced this effect in HGC27 cells.


CONCLUSION
WAVE2 is down-regulated in GC and loses its metastatic role in GC. Knockdown of WAVE2 could increase metastatic potential by promoting the growth, invasiveness, motility, adhesiveness and suppressing EMT (epithelial-mesenchymal transition) of GC cells.
['Jia|Shuqin|S|', 'Jia|Yongning|Y|', 'Weeks|Hoi Ping|HP|', 'Ruge|Fiona|F|', 'Feng|Xuemin|X|', 'Ma|Ruiting|R|', 'Ji|Jiafu|J|', 'Ren|Jianjun|J|', 'Jiang|Wen G|WG|']
D000328:Adult D000368:Aged D000369:Aged, 80 and over D002465:Cell Movement D015536:Down-Regulation D058750:Epithelial-Mesenchymal Transition D005260:Female D015972:Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic D006801:Humans D007150:Immunohistochemistry D008207:Lymphatic Metastasis D008297:Male D008875:Middle Aged D009361:Neoplasm Invasiveness D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction D013274:Stomach Neoplasms D014162:Transfection D051300:Wiskott-Aldrich Syndrome Protein Family D055815:Young Adult
WAVE2 gastric cancer lymph node metastasis ROCK