Role of macrophage migration inhibitory factor in mesenchymal epithelial transition of cervical carcinoma cells.

ABSTRACT

Cervical cancer is a kind of female malignant tumor with increasing incidence recently. Macrophage migration inhibitory factor (MIF) is a major tumor facilitating factor. The previous study suggests that there was a correlation between MIF and migration or invasion of tumors. Epithelial mesenchymal transition (EMT) is the basis for tumor invasion and migration. Therefore, this study utilized MFI to treat cervical carcinoma Hela cells, and the mechanism of EMT was also further analyzed. Cervical carcinoma Hela cells were transfected with pFenesil MIF siRNA plasmids, following by real-time fluorescent quantitative PCR to detect MIF levels. MTT assay was then utilized for evaluate the proliferative activity of Hela cells after transfection. The cell invasion and migration were examined. The expression of E-cadherin and Vimentin were also detected. The results indicated that the MIF was positively expressed in Hela cells, whose MIF mRNA level was increased after the transfection (P<0.05). Compared to the control or blank group, the transfected group had elevated proliferative activity with elongated incubation time (P<0.05). Both invasion and migration functions of transfected cells were significantly potentiated (P<0.05) compared to the control or blank group. E-cadherin expression level was also decreased in experimental group. MIF was also expressed in cervical carcinoma Hela cells. Elevated MIF level could facilitate the cell invasion and migration, and elevate the Vimentin and decrease E-cadherin expression, thus facilitating EMT.