Expression of MAPK1 in cervical cancer and effect of MAPK1 gene silencing on epithelial-mesenchymal transition, invasion and metastasis

ObjectiveTo discuss the expression of mitogen-activated protein kinase 1 (MAPK1) in the cervical cancer and effect of MAPK1 gene silencing on epithelial-mesenchymal transition and invasion and metastasis.MethodsImmunohistochemistry, western blot and RT-PCR method were employed to detect the expression of MAPK1 protein and mRNA in cervical cancer tissue and adjacent normal tissue. The constructed siRNA-MAPK1 was transferred into human cervical cancer HeLa cells using Lipofectamine™2000. MTT method was used to detect the cell vitality, transwell method to detect the cell invasion, and western blot to detect the expression of matrix metalloproteinases (MMP)-2, MMP-9, tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinase (TIMP)-1, TIMP-2, zinc finger transcription factor (Snail), epithelial-mesenchymal transition related protein (EMT) E-cadherin and vimentin in cells.ResultsThe expression of MAPK1 protein and mRNA in the cervical cancer tissue was significantly higher than the one in the adjacent normal tissue (P < 0.01); after transfecting the siRNA-MAPK1 into the human cervical cancer HeLa cells through liposome, compared with the control group, its cell vitality was significantly decreased (P < 0.01), cell invasion was significantly decreased (P < 0.01); expressed of MMP-2, MMP-9, Snail and vimentin was significantly decreased (P < 0.01), and expression of TIMP-1, TIMP-2 and E-cadherin was significantly increased (P < 0.01).ConclusionsBecause of the high expression of MAPK1 in the cervical cancer tissue, the interference in the expression of MAPK1 can significantly inhibit the invasion and metastasis of cervical cancer HeLa cells, which is related to the interference in the expression of MMPs/TIMP and Snail-mediated generation of EMT.