ERp44 Regulates the Proliferation, Migration, Invasion, and Apoptosis of Gastric Cancer Cells Via Activation of ER Stress.

Gastric cancer (GC) is one of the most prevalent malignancies worldwide. Endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress plays a key role in the progression of GC. Rapid proliferation of tumor cells interferes with ER homeostasis, leading to ER stress and triggering unfolded protein response. Therefore, it is very necessary to investigate abnormally expressed ER resident proteins (ERp) in cancer cells. This study aimed to investigate the possible roles of ERp44. The mRNA and protein expression of genes were detected using qRT-PCR and western blot. Cell apoptosis was calculated using flow cytometry. Cell proliferation was determined using CCK-8 and colony formation assay. Cell migration was detected by wound healing, and cell invasion was measured by transwell assay. We found that ERp44 was obviously decreased in GC tissues. Furthermore, ERp44 overexpression distinctly suppressed the proliferation, migration, and invasion of MGC-803 and KATO III cells. In contrast, apoptosis was promoted by ERp44 overexpression. Furthermore, mechanistic studies revealed that overexpression of ERp44 inhibited malignant biological processes by regulating the eIF-2α/CHOP signaling pathway. Taken together, our data demonstrated that ERp44 regulated the proliferation, migration, invasion, and apoptosis via ERp44/eIF-2α/CHOP axis in GC. Targeting the ERp44and ER stress may be a promising strategy for GC.

POM121 overexpression is related to a poor prognosis in colorectal cancer.

Background: Nuclear pore membrane protein 121 (POM121) plays a crucial role in nucleocytoplasmic transport, but its significance in tumorigenesis and the progression of colorectal cancer (CRC) remains unknown. The aim of this study was to evaluate the relationship between POM121 and CRC.Methods: POM121 expression in colorectal tissues was analyzed at both the gene and protein levels. We investigated the connection between POM121 expression and clinicopathological features, as well as overall survival. A gene set enrichment analysis (GSEA) was performed, and a protein-protein interaction (PPI) network was constructed to determine the mechanism of POM121 in CRC.Results: CRC tissues displayed a striking increase in POM121 expression compared with colonitis and pericarcinomatous mucosa tissues (66.61% vs 24.36% vs 24.11%, respectively, p < 0.0167). POM121 overexpression was significantly associated with lymph node metastasis, distant metastasis, TNM stage, venous invasion, perineural invasion, preoperative CEA and CA19-9 levels, and Ki67 expression. CRC patients with high POM121 levels tended to have poor overall survival rates. POM121 may participate in the regulation of the cell cycle and DNA repair in CRC.Conclusions: Our results suggest that POM121 has the potential to serve as a novel prognostic biomarker in CRC patients.