Inhibition of Chitinase-3-like Protein 1 Reduced Epithelial-Mesenchymal Transition and Vascular Epithelial Cadherin Expression in Oesophageal Squamous Cell Carcinoma.

Abstract

Background: Oesophageal cancer (EC) is one of the common malignant tumors, and the prognosis of patients is poor. Further exploration of EC pathogenesis remains warranted.

Objective: The relationship between vascular epithelial cadherin (VE-cadherin) and chitinase-3-like protein 1 (CHI3L1) in EC is currently unknown. To further explore the relationship, immunohistochemical staining was performed to detect the expression level of CHI3L1 and VE-cadherin in oesophageal squamous cell carcinoma ( ESCC).

Materials and methods: Small interfering RNAs (siRNAs) inhibited CHI3L1 expression in KYSE-150 and TE1 cells. Western blot and quantitative fluorescence polymerase chain reaction were used to detect the levels of CHI3L1, VE-cadherin and epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT)-related proteins in vitro and in vivo, and KYSE-150 cells were used to establish an in-vivo model and observe tumour growth.

Results: High levels of CHI3L1 and VE-cadherin expression were closely associated with the progression of ESCC; the pathologic tumour-node-metastasis stage was also closely related with the progression of ESCC (p < 0.05). High levels of CHI3L1 and VE-cadherin expression led to poor prognosis in patients with EC. In KYSE-150 and TE1 EC cell lines, the invasion, migration and proliferation of cells decreased, and the apoptotic rate increased after CHI3L1 expression was decreased using siRNA. The CHI3L1, VE-cadherin, Snail, Twist1 protein and mRNA expression levels decreased, whereas the E-cadherin levels increased.

Conclusions: Chitinase-3-like protein 1 could promote the EMT of ESCC, and the inhibition of CHI3L1 decreases the expression of VE-cadherin, which inhibits tumour angiogenesis and tumour progression in ESCC.