AB80. Impact of ZNF139 on migration and invasion of human gastric cancer cell line BGC823

Objective: Zinc finger protein 139 (ZNF139), a member of zinc finger protein family, is a transcription factor. Many members of zinc finger protein family are closely related to tumorigenesis, development, invasion and metastasis. Our previous research showed ZNF139 was overexpressed in gastric cancer cells, which was related to tumor differentiation. The purpose of present study is to further test ZNF139 expression in gastric cancer tissues, adjacent cancer tissues, lymph node metastases and gastric cancer cell lines, and to explore impact and mechanism of ZNF139 on invasive ability of gastric cancer cells.

Materials and methods: Quantitative RT-PCR (QRT-PCR) and Western blot were applied for detection of ZNF139 expression in gastric cancer tissues, adjacent cancer tissues, metastatic lymph nodes, gastric cancer cell lines SGC7901 and BGC823 and gastric epithelial cell line GES-1; siRNA specific to ZNF139 was synthesized and then transfected into gastric cancer cell line BGC823; wound healing assay and transwell assay were used to observe impact of ZNF139-siRNA after being transfected into BGC823 on its invasion and migration; changes in expression of invasion and migration-related genes MMP-2, MMP-9, ICAM-1 and TIMP1 were detected before and after transfection.

Results: Expression of ZNF139 in gastric adenocarcinoma tissues and cells was significantly higher than that in the adjacent cancer tissues, but lower than that in the metastatic lymph nodes; ZNF139 expression was present in gastric cancer cell lines, and the expression level was higher than that in normal gastric epithelial cells lines. ZNF139-siRNA significantly inhibited the invasion and migration activity of gastric cancer cell line BGC823. 48h after ZNF139-siRNA was transfected into gastric cancer cell line BGC823, expression and activity of invasion-related genes MMP-2, MMP-9, ICAM-1 mRNA and protein were significantly inhibited, while expressions of TIMP-1 mRNA and protein were significantly increased.

Conclusions: ZNF139 was overexpressed in gastric cancer tissues, metastatic lymph nodes, and cell lines, and the expression was further enhanced in the metastasis process. Knocking down ZNF139 expression in gastric cancer cells could effectively reduce gastric cancer cell invasion and migration ability, and this process might play a role by regulating MMP-TIMP balance.

Keywords: Gastric cancer; zinc finger protein 139 (ZNF139); migration; invasion; RNA interference technology