Objective: To investigate the expression of collagen triple helix repeat containing 1 (CTHRC1) in pancreatic cancer tissue, and its influence on biobehavior of pancreatic cancer cells.
Methods: The expression of CTHRC1 mRNA in the specimens of cancer and adjacent tissue from 40 pancreatic cancer patients was detected by real time PCR (RT-PCR). Pancreatic cancer Panc28 cells were transfected with pcDNA3.1-CTHRC1 or CTHRC1 siRNA using untransfected Panc28 cells as control, and then the cell proliferation, migration and invasion ability were determined by colony formation assay, wound healing assay and Boyden chamber assay, respectively.
Results: Results of the RT-PCR showed that CTHRC1 expression level in pancreatic cancer tissue was significantly higher than that in adjacent tissue (P<0.05). Compared with control Panc28 cells, the number of colony formation was increased, percentage of wound width was reduced and number of invaded cells was increased significantly in Panc28 cells with up-regulated CTHRC1 expression after pcDNA3.1-CTHRC1 transfection, while the opposite changes were seen in those with down-regulated CTHRC1 expression after CTHRC1 siRNA transfection, and all the differences had statistical significance (all P<0.05).
Conclusion: CTHRC1 expression is increased in pancreatic cancer tissue, which may contribute to the occurrence and development of pancreatic cancer through promoting cell proliferation, and migration and invasion ability of the pancreatic cancer cells.