Knockdown of COPS3 inhibits the progress of prostate cancer through reducing phosphorylated p38 MAPK expression and impairs the epithelial-mesenchymal transition process.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: The amplification of gene COPS3 is closely related to the development of osteosarcoma and hepatocellular carcinoma. However, the effects of COPS3 on prostate cancer (PCa) are poorly understood. METHODS: In this study, the protein expression of COPS3 in PCa tissues, adjacent normal tissues, and bone metastasis tissues of PCa was analyzed by immunohistochemistry. Furthermore, cell proliferation, colony formation, migration, and invasion assay were performed in 22rv1 and PC-3 cells after knocking down COPS3 by small interfering RNAs. Furthermore, we performed western blot analysis to explore the potential mechanisms underlying it. RESULTS: This study found that the overall survival of the COPS3 high-expression group was significantly shorter than the low-expression group. This study discovered that the protein expression of COPS3 in PCa tissues was higher than that in the matched nontumor prostate tissues. In addition, tissues from bone metastasis of PCa had a high percentage of overexpressing COPS3. After knockdown of the COPS3 gene in 22rv1 and PC3 cells, two classic human PCa cell lines which had a high level of COPS3, the abilities of migration, invasion, and proliferation were inhibited. Finally, protein levels of phosphorylated P38 mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) and N-cadherin were significantly decreased after knocking down the expression of COPS3, and the protein levels of E-cadherin were significantly increased. CONCLUSIONS: In conclusion, COPS3 may be closely related to the progress of PCa. Knockdown of COPS3 inhibited the progress of PCa through reducing the levels of phosphorylated P38 MAPK and impaired the epithelial-mesenchymal transition process.