Objective To investigate the expression of urokinase-type plasminogen activator receptor (PLAUR) in gastric cancer cells and its effects on the proliferation, invasion, migration and epithelial mesenchymal transition (EMT) of gastric cancer BGC823 cells.

Methods It is divided into control group (not transfected with any fragment), si-NC group (transfected with blank fragment), and si-PLAUR group (transfected with siRNA PLAUR knockdown fragment).Western blotting was used to detect the difference of PLAUR expression in human gastric mucosal cells GES-1 and gastric cancer cells SGC7901, BGC823 and MGC803.The expression of PLAUR gene in BGC823 cells was knocked down by siRNA transfection technique, and the transfection efficiency was verified by qRT-PCR.Cell proliferation was detected by clonogenesis assay, cell invasion was detected by Transwell assay, and cell migration was detected by scratch healing assay.The expression changes of E-Cadherin, N-Cadherin and Vimentin during EMT process were detected by Western blotting.

Results The expression of PLAUR in cancer tissues was significantly increased(P < 0.01), and the expression level of PLAUR in gastric cancer was correlated with patient age, tumor diameter, and clinical stage(P < 0.05).Compared with GES-1 cells, PLAUR expression in SGC7901, BGC823 and MGC803 cells was significantly increased (P < 0.05).Compared with control group and si-NC group, the proliferation, invasion and migration ability of BGC823 cells in si-PLAUR group were significantly decreased (P < 0.05).E-Cadherin protein expression increased in EMT signaling pathway, while N-Cadherin and Vimentin protein expression decreased (P < 0.05).

Conclusions PLAUR expression is significantly increased in gastric cancer cells, and PLAUR expression in BGC823 cells inhibits cell proliferation, invasion and migration, and inhibits EMT process.