Objective To investigate the expression of collagen type Ⅴ α2 (COL5A2) in gastric cancer and its effect on the phenotype of BGC823 cells, and to study the related mechanism.

Methods A total of 18 cases of surgically removed gastric cancer tissues and corresponding adjacent normal tissues were collected.The expression difference of COL5A2 was detected by real-time quantitative fluorescent PCR (qRT-PCR) and Western blotting.Human gastric cancer cell line BGC823 was transfected with siRNA, and the expression of COL5A2 gene was knocked down in the cells.The transfection efficiency was verified by qRT-PCR and Western blotting.Clonal formation assay was used to detect cell proliferation in each group, and Transwell assay was used to detect cell invasion.The expression levels of Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway-related proteins (MMP9, Wnt, β-catenin) were detected by Western blotting.

Results Compared with adjacent normal tissues, the expression of COL5A2 protein in gastric cancer tissues was increased (P < 0.05).After the expression of COL5A2 was silenced, the proliferation and invasion ability of BGC823 cells were decreased (P < 0.05), and the expression levels of MMP9, Wnt and β-catenin were down-regulated (P < 0.05).

Conclusions The expression of COL5A2 protein is up-regulated in gastric cancer tissues, and may affect the proliferation and invasion of gastric cancer cells through Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway.