Overexpression of asparaginyl endopeptidase is significant for esophageal carcinoma metastasis and predicts poor patient prognosis

Abstract

Abstract. Esophageal cancer is one of the most common types of cancer with poor prognosis. The molecular mechanisms of esophageal cancer progression remain unknown. In the present study, the aim was to investigate the clinical significance and biological function of protease asparaginyl endopeptidase (AEP) in esophageal cancer. The expression of AEP in esophageal cancer was examined, and its association with clinicopathological factors and patient prognosis was analyzed. A series of functional and mechanistic assays were performed to further investigate the underlying molecular mechanisms, and functions in esophageal cancer. The expression of AEP was elevated in esophageal cancer tissues, and patients with high AEP expression displayed a significantly shorter survival time compared with those with low AEP expression. In addition, loss of function experiments demonstrated that knockdown of AEP significantly reduced the migration and invasion ability of esophageal cancer cells. Furthermore, the pro-oncogenic effects of AEP in esophageal cancer were mediated by the upregulation of matrix-metalloproteinase 2 and 3. Taken together, the data from the present study indicates that high AEP expression is associated with esophageal cancer progression and AEP is an indicator of poor prognosis in patients with esophageal cancer. AEP therefore, may be considered as a novel prognostic biomarker or potential therapeutic target in esophageal cancer.

Retracted: Down‐regulation of long noncoding RNA PVT1 inhibits esophageal carcinoma cell migration and invasion and promotes cell apoptosis via microRNA‐145‐mediated inhibition of FSCN1

“…EC is one of the most common types of cancer accompanied by poor prognosis, and the poor outcomes in EC patients are related to diagnosis at advanced stages and the tendency for metastases (Liu et al, 2018b). lncRNAs and miRNAs have been revealed to have the potential to function in the initiation and progression of EC (Pan et al, 2016;Qi et al, 2017).…”

RETRACTED: Silencing lncRNAs PVT1 Upregulates miR-145 and Confers Inhibitory Effects on Viability, Invasion, and Migration in EC

“…Poor outcomes in patients with EC are related with diagnoses at advanced stages and the tendency for metastases; thus, it requires further investigation on the potential mechanisms of EC progression. 22 It has been revealed that miRNAs and lncRNAs exert functions on EC. 23,24 The present study explored the mechanism of how lncRNA PVT1 and miR-145 function in EC cells.…”

The Mechanism of Asparagine Endopeptidase in the Progression of Malignant Tumors: A Review

“…The potential of AEP to serve as a target or prognostic factor has not only been reported in these four carcinoma types. Other carcinomas, including esophagus carcinoma [ 95 ], cervical carcinoma [ 96 ], uveal melanoma [ 97 ], colorectal carcinoma [ 98 , 99 , 100 ], prostate carcinoma [ 101 , 102 ], and urothelial carcinoma of the bladder [ 103 ], have been reported to involve AEP.…”