Effects of Zonula occludens-1 (ZO-1) tight junction protein on tumor characteristics in human ovarian cancer cells.

Abstract

Background: Ovarian cancer is among the most lethal malignancies affecting women, largely due to its asymptomatic progression in early stages, rapid advancement, and high mortality rate. Tight junction protein 1 (TJP1), also known as Zonula occludens-1 (ZO-1), plays a critical role in epithelial and endothelial cell integrity by regulating paracellular permeability. Additionally, ZO-1 is involved in cell-cell communication networks, influencing cellular proliferation, differentiation, and metastasis. While previous studies have demonstrated the significance of ZO-1 in tumorigenesis and cancer progression, its precise mechanistic role remains to be fully elucidated.

Objective: This study aims to investigate the functional role of ZO-1 in human ovarian cancer cells to provide a molecular perspective on its impact on tumor progression.

Methods: Human ovarian cancer cell lines SNU119 and SKOV3 were utilized. ZO-1 knockout (KO) was achieved using the Clustered Regularly Interspaced Short Palindromic Repeats-CRISPR-associated protein 9 (CRISPR-Cas9) system in combination with single-guide RNA (sgRNA) targeting ZO-1. Hygromycin B selection was employed to establish stable ZO-1 KO SNU119 and ZO-1 KO SKOV3 cell lines. The successful knockout of ZO-1 was confirmed at both the transcript and protein levels via real-time quantitative PCR (RT-qPCR) and Western blotting. Functional assays, including cell proliferation, migration, and invasion assays, were conducted to assess the effects of ZO-1 KO on key tumor-associated characteristics.

Results: CRISPR-Cas9-mediated ZO-1 KO in SNU119 and SKOV3 ovarian cancer cell lines resulted in a significant reduction of ZO-1 expression at both the transcript and protein levels. The loss of ZO-1 led to a disruption of cell-cell junctions. Functionally, ZO-1 KO cells exhibited reduced proliferation, whereas cell migration and invasion were significantly enhanced, suggesting a shift toward a more aggressive phenotype.

Conclusion: The findings indicate that ZO-1 KO in ovarian cancer cells suppresses cell proliferation while promoting migratory and invasive properties, hallmarks of tumor progression. These results underscore the complex role of ZO-1 in ovarian cancer and highlight the need for further investigation into its broader regulatory impact on oncogenic pathways.