SPANXN2 functions a cell migration inhibitor in testicular germ cell tumor cells

• Published in: PeerJ (San Francisco, CA) Vol. 8; p. e9358
• Main Authors: Zhu, Fang, Bo, Hao, Liu, Guangmin, Li, Ruixue, Liu, Zhizhong, Fan, Liqing
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States PeerJ. Ltd 23.06.2020; PeerJ, Inc; PeerJ Inc
• Subjects: AKT protein; Analysis; Cancer; Cancer therapies; Cancer/testis antigen (CTA); Cell adhesion & migration; Cell Biology; Cell culture; Cell cycle; Cell migration; Cell proliferation; Chemotherapy; Colonies; Development and progression; Gene expression; Genes; Genetics; Metastasis; Neomycin; Polymerase chain reaction; Prognosis; Proteins; Solid tumors; SPANXN2; Testes; Testicular germ cell tumors (TGCTs); Tumor cells; Vimentin; Western blotting; Wound healing; Western Europe; United States > US; China; SPANXN2; Cancer/testis antigen (CTA); Metastasis; Testicular germ cell tumors (TGCTs)
• ISSN: 2167-8359; 2167-8359
• DOI: 10.7717/peerj.9358

family members are thought to play an important role in cancer progression. The is a gene expressed mainly in normal testis, but its role in testicular germ cell tumors (TGCTs) has yet to be investigated. TGCT is one of the most common solid tumors in young men and is associated with poor prognosis; however, effective prognostic indicators remain elusive. Therefore, we investigated the role of in TGCT development. expression levels were validated by quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) analyses of 14 TGCT samples and five adjacent normal tissue samples. was transiently overexpressed in TGCT cells to study the consequences for cell function. The effects of on cell migration were evaluated in transwell and wound healing assays. The effects on cloning ability were evaluated in colony formation assays. MTT assays and cell cycle analysis were used to detect the effects of on cell proliferation. The expression levels of EMT- and AKT-related proteins in cells overexpressing were analyzed by Western blotting. Compared with adjacent normal tissues, the Gene Expression Profiling Interactive Analysis database showed expression was downregulated in TGCTs which was consistent with the qRT-PCR analysis. overexpression reduced cell migration and colony formation capability and downregulated expression of EMT- and AKT-related proteins, Vimentin, Snail, AKT, and p-AKT. Our results suggest that regulates TGCT cell migration via EMT- and AKT-related proteins although its role in the occurrence and development of TGCT remains to be fully elucidated.