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Loss of E-cadherin promotes the growth, invasion and drug resistance of colorectal cancer cells and is associated with liver metastasis

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Abstract

The recent studies indicated that the epithelial cell adhesion molecule E-cadherin is a well-recognized molecule that is important in cell adhesion. To further investigate the molecular basis of this notion, we used small-interfering RNA to inhibit E-cadherin function and found that loss of E-cadherin promoted Colorectal cancer cell growth, invasion and drug resistance through induction of β-catenin nuclear translocation and epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition. Further analysis of E-cadherin expression with clinicopathologic parameters showed that E-cadherin expression decreased in Colorectal cancer patients who developed liver metastasis (P = 0.043). These findings indicate that E-cadherin loss in tumors contributes to progression and metastatic dissemination. Thus, E-cadherin can act as a central modulator of the cell biological phenotypes and a potential prognostic marker in Colorectal cancer.

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Acknowledgments

This work was supported by Grant of Ministry of Health and Henan Medical Science and Technique Foundation (2011056), Henan Science and Technique Foundation (200538) and Henan Society Public Welfare Project (2008).

Conflict of interest

No potential conflicts of interest were disclosed.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Henan Cancer Hospital, The Affiliated Cancer Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, 450008, China

    Xiaobing Chen

  2. Shanghai Pulmonary Hospital, Tongji University, Shanghai, 200433, China

    Yongsheng Wang

  3. Department of Surgery, Yijishan Hospital, Wannan Medical College, Wuhu, 241001, China

    Hongping Xia, Xiaochun Jiang & Minghua Hu

  4. Chengdu Military General Hospital, Chengdu, 610083, China

    Qiwu Wang

  5. The First Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, 510080, China

    Zihong Lin, Yuedong Ma & Yang Yang

Authors
  1. Xiaobing Chen
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  2. Yongsheng Wang
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  3. Hongping Xia
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  4. Qiwu Wang
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  5. Xiaochun Jiang
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  6. Zihong Lin
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  7. Yuedong Ma
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  8. Yang Yang
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  9. Minghua Hu
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Corresponding authors

Correspondence to Hongping Xia or Minghua Hu.

Additional information

Xiaobing Chen, Yongsheng Wang and Hongping Xia have contributed equally to this work.

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Chen, X., Wang, Y., Xia, H. et al. Loss of E-cadherin promotes the growth, invasion and drug resistance of colorectal cancer cells and is associated with liver metastasis. Mol Biol Rep 39, 6707–6714 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11033-012-1494-2

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11033-012-1494-2

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