Knockdown <i>Annexin A8</i> inhibits the proliferation and invasion of cervical cancer cells

Abstract

Background: This study aimed to explore the expression, function, and molecular mechanism of ANXA8, the gene for annexin 8, in cervical cancer. Methods: The gene expression of the ANX family members in cervical cancer tissues was classified via The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) database. The expression of ANXA8 in paracancerous tissues, cervical cancer tissues, and cell lines was identified by fluorescence quantitative polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and immunohistochemistry. The effects of ANXA8 knockdown on the cellular growth and cell invasion of cervical cancer were examined by MTT, clone-formation assay, scratch test, and Transwell assay. The effect of ANXA8 knockdown on the proliferative potency of cervical cancer cells was assessed through an in vivo nude-mouse tumor-formation test. The gene expression levels of Ki-67 and ANXA8 in tumor-bearing tissues were measured through Immunohistochemical analysis. Results: TCGA data analysis and fluorescence quantitative PCR exhibited significantly increased expression of ANXA8 in cervical cancer tissues. Further examination exhibited that ANXA8 was expressed exceedingly in cervical cancer tissue, and it was associated with lymph node metastasis, FIGO stage, degree of differentiation, and infiltration depth of cancer patients. Cell-function assays revealed that knocking down ANXA8 may substantially suppress the propagation, colony formation, invasion, and migration of cervical cancer cells. In vivo experiments demonstrated that ANXA8 knockdown had a substantial inhibitory effect on the propagation of cervical cancer cells in nude mice and inhibited the expression of Ki-67. Conclusion: ANXA8 is specifically and significantly upregulated within cervical cancer tissues. The knockdown of this gene showed remarkable outcomes, as evidenced by the substantial inhibition of cervical cancer cell proliferation in in vitro and in vivo experimentations. Therefore, ANXA8 is a potential target or a marker that can serve as a therapeutic or diagnostic tool for cervical cancer.