ZEB2 Regulates the Migration and Invasion of PANC-1 Pancreatic Cancer Cells: An Experimental Study

  Objective   To investigate the effects and mechanisms of zinc finger E-box binding homeobox transcription factor-2 (ZEB2) on the proliferation, colony formation, migration, and invasion abilities and the epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) of PANC-1 cells, a human pancreatic cancer cell line.

  Methods   Data on the expression of ZEB2 in pancreatic cancer tissues and paracancerous tissues from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) database were analyzed. PANC-1 pancreatic cancer cells were divided into si-NC group, si-ZEB2 group, pcDNA3.1 group, and pcDNA3.1-ZEB2 group. qRT-PCR and Western blot were conducted to confirm the effectiveness of ZEB2 knockdown or overexpression. CCK-8, colony formation, wound healing, and Transwell assays were conducted to examine the effects of ZEB2 on the proliferation, colony formation, migration, and invasion of PANC-1 cells. qRT-PCR and immunofluorescence assays were performed to examine the expression of E-cadherin and vimentin, the EMT markers, in the cells. Prediction of proteins interacting with ZEB2 was made through the STRING database.

  Results   TCGA database analysis showed that the expression level of ZEB2 in pancreatic cancer tissues was significantly higher than that in adjacent tissues (P<0.05). Compared with those of cells in the control group, the proliferation, colony formation, migration, and invasion of cells in the si-ZEB2 group were decreased (P<0.05). Compared with those of cells in the pcDNA3.1 group, the proliferation, colony formation, migration and invasion of cells in the pcDNA3.1-ZEB2 group were increased (all P<0.05). According to the results of qRT-PCR and immunofluorescence assays, compared with those of the si-NC group, the expression of E-cadherin mRNA, an epithelial marker, in the si-ZEB2 group increased, while the expression of vimentin mRNA, an mesenchymal marker, and the protein decreased. Compared with those of the pcDNA3.1 group, the expression of E-cadherin mRNA in the PANC-1 cells of the pcDNA3.1-ZEB2 group decreased, while the expression of vimentin mRNA and the protein increased (all P<0.05). Analysis with the STRING database predicted that 10 proteins had close interaction with ZEB2.

  Conclusion   Overexpression of ZEB2 promotes the migration, invasion, and the EMT process of PANC-1 pancreatic cancer cells.