Objective: This study aims to observe the expression of YKL-40 in prostate cancer and whether YKL-40 can affect the migration and invasion of tumor cells by regulating epithelial mesenchymal transition.
Methods: We collected 14 cases of prostate cancer tissues and adjacent tissues in this study. The expression levels of YKL-40 in the tissues were analyzed by western blotting and immunohistochemical methods. The expression of YKL-40 in human prostate cancer cell line DU145 and PC3 was detected by fluorescence quantitative PCR and western blotting methods. The expression levels of YKL-40 in different cells were up-regulated or down- regulated by lentivirus to observe the changes of cell migration and invasion. The expression levels of EMT related genes were analyzed by RT-PCR and Western blotting methods.
Results: The expression level of YKL-40 in prostate cancer tissues was significantly higher than that in adjacent tissues (P<0.01), and it was higher in DU145 cells than that in PC3 cells (P<0.05). The expression level of YKL-40 was positively correlated with cell migration and invasion. YKL-40 can regulate the expression of EMT related genes (Twist, Snail, Slug, N-cadherin, Vimentin and E-cadherin).
Conclusions: The expression level of YKL-40 was positively correlated with the migration and invasion of prostate cells, it affects cancer metastasis by regulating EMT.
Keywords: RT-PCR; YKL-40; epithelial mesenchymal transition (EMT); immunohistochemistry; prostate cancer; western blotting.