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Cancer Cell International
Published in: Cancer Cell International 1/2022

Open Access 01-12-2022 | Metastasis | Research

CHRNB2 represses pancreatic cancer migration and invasion via inhibiting β-catenin pathway

Authors: Cheng Qin, Tianhao Li, Yuanyang Wang, Bangbo Zhao, Zeru Li, Tianyu Li, Xiaoying Yang, Yutong Zhao, Weibin Wang

Published in: Cancer Cell International | Issue 1/2022

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Abstract

Background

Pancreatic cancer is one of the most lethal disease with highly fatal and aggressive properties. Lymph node ratio (LNR), the ratio of the number of metastatic lymph nodes to the total number of examined lymph nodes, is an important index to assess lymphatic metastasis and predict prognosis, but the molecular mechanism underlying high LNR was unclear.

Methods

Gene expression and clinical information data of pancreatic cancer were obtained from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) and Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO). Patients in TCGA were averagely divided into low and high LNR groups. Then, Weighted Gene Co-expression Network Analysis (WGCNA) was utilized to build co-expression network to explore LNR-related modules and hub genes. GO and KEGG analysis was performed to find key pathways related to lymph node metastasis. Next, GSE101448 and the overall survival data in TCGA was employed to further select significant genes from hub genes. Considering the key role of CHRNB2 in LNR and survival, gene set enrichment analysis (GSEA) was applied to find pathways related to CHRNB2 expression in pancreatic cancer. The contribution of CHRNB2 to migrative and invasive ability of pancreatic cancer cells was confirmed by Transwell assays. We finally explored the role of CHRNB2 in EMT and β-catenin pathway via Western Blot.

Results

High LNR was significantly related to high T stages and poor prognosis. In WGCNA, 14 hub genes (COL5A1, FN1, THBS2, etc.) were positively related to high LNR, 104 hub genes (FFAR1, SCG5, TMEM63C, etc.) were negatively related to high LNR. After taking the intersection with GSE101448, 13 genes (CDK5R2, SYT7, CACNA2D2, etc.) which might prevent lymph node metastasis were further selected. Among them, CHRNB2 showed the strongest relationship with long survival. Moreover, CHRNB2 also negatively related to the T stages and LNR. Next, knockdown of CHRNB2 expression could acetylcholine (ACh)-independently increase the migration and invasion of pancreatic cancer cells, while CHRNB2 overexpression ACh-independently decrease the migration and invasion of pancreatic cancer cells. For exploring the underlying mechanism, CHRNB2 downregulated β-catenin pathway might through controlling its upstream regulators such as SOX6, SRY, SOX17, and TCF7L2.

Conclusions

CHRNB2 negatively relates to lymph node metastasis in pancreatic cancer patients. CHRNB2 could inhibit β-catenin pathway, EMT, migration and invasion of pancreatic cancer cells via ACh-independent mechanism.
Appendix
Available only for authorised users
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Metadata
Title
CHRNB2 represses pancreatic cancer migration and invasion via inhibiting β-catenin pathway
Authors
Cheng Qin
Tianhao Li
Yuanyang Wang
Bangbo Zhao
Zeru Li
Tianyu Li
Xiaoying Yang
Yutong Zhao
Weibin Wang
Publication date
01-12-2022
Publisher
BioMed Central
Published in
Cancer Cell International / Issue 1/2022
Electronic ISSN: 1475-2867
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1186/s12935-022-02768-8

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