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Tight junction protein claudin-6 inhibits growth and induces the apoptosis of cervical carcinoma cells in vitro and in vivo

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Abstract

Claudin-6, a member of claudin family integral membrane proteins, has recently been reported to be a tumor suppressor for breast cancer. However, whether it plays a role in other types of cancer remains unclear. In the present study, we showed that the expression of claudin-6 is down-regulated in cervical carcinoma tissues as revealed by immunohistochemistry. Through over-expressing claudin-6 in HeLa and C33A cervical carcinoma cells, we found that claudin-6 is localized at plasma membrane and it increases transepithelial electrical resistance of the cells. Gain of claudin-6 expression suppresses cell proliferation, colony formation in vitro, and tumor growth in vivo. The effects are accompanied and potentially caused by promotion of tumor cell apoptosis. Taken together, these results suggest that claudin-6 may function as a tumor suppressor and loss of claudin-6 contributes to enhanced tumorigenic properties of cervical carcinoma cells.

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Acknowledgments

This study was supported by National Natural Science Foundation of China (Code: 81172499) and Jilin Province Science and Technology Development Projects (20140414036GH). The authors thank Xueni Li, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics, University of Colorado Denver, USA, for help with this manuscript.

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The authors declare that they have no competing interests.

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Correspondence to Chengshi Quan.

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Zhang, X., Ruan, Y., Li, Y. et al. Tight junction protein claudin-6 inhibits growth and induces the apoptosis of cervical carcinoma cells in vitro and in vivo. Med Oncol 32, 148 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12032-015-0600-4

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