Role of glucose-regulated protein 78 in the invasion and metastasis of ovarian cancer

ObjectiveTo investigate the role of glucose-regulated protein 78(GRP78) in the invasion and metastasis of ovarian cancer.

MethodsThe expression levels of GRP78 in 60 ovarian serous carcinoma and 40 ovarian serous cystadenoma tissues were detected using the immunohistochemistry(IHC) and Western blotting.The relationship between the clinical indicators of ovarian serous carcinoma and GRP78 expression was analyzed.The invasion and migration ability of HO-8910 cells and HO-8910PM cells were detected using Transwell assay.The invasion and migration ability of HO-8910 cells and HO-8910PM cells treated with shRNA-GRP78 interference and pcDNA-GRP78 overexpression were detected, respectively.

ResultsThe results of IHC showed that the positive expression rate of GRP78 in ovarian serous carcinoma tissues(90%) was significantly higher than that in ovarian serous cystadenoma tissues(25%)(P < 0.01).The results of Western blot showed that the expression level of GRP78 in ovarian serous carcinoma tissue was significantly higher than that in ovarian serous cystadenoma tissue.Among the ovarian serous carcinoma patients with high GRP78 expression level, the clinicopathological grade and stage and carbohydrate antigen 125 level were higher, and the proportion of patients with lymph node metastasis, pelvic metastasis, and external pelvic metastasis was higher(P < 0.01).The results of in vitro studies showed that the expression level of GRP78 in HO-8910PM cells with high metastatic potential was significantly higher than that in HO-8910 cells with low metastatic potential(P < 0.01).The overexpression of GRP78 in HO-8910 cells could promote the invasion and migration ability of the cells, while silencing GRP78 expression in HO-8910PM cells could significantly reduce the invasion and migration potential of the cells(P < 0.01).

ConclusionsGRP78 can promote the invasion and migration potential of ovarian cancer cells.