Octamer transcription factor 1 mediates epithelial-mesenchymal transition in colorectal cancer

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is one of the most common cancer types worldwide. Octamer transcription factor 1 (OCT1) is associated with tumor progression and a poor patient survival rate. However, little is known regarding the effect of OCT1 in CRC. Moreover, because the epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT) is a key player in metastasis, whether OCT1 induces EMT in CRC remains unclear. In the present study, we investigate the role of OCT1 in CRC and its expression pattern and clinical significance. The expression of OCT1 in CRC tissues and the adjacent noncancerous tissues was detected using quantitative real-time PCR (QRT-PCR), Western blot, and immunohistochemistry analyses. In addition, silencing of OCT1 with small interfering RNA (siRNA) was performed in CRC cell lines, and the impact on proliferation, migration, and the EMT marker of CRC was analyzed. Our results found that OCT1 levels were significant higher in CRC tissues compared with the adjacent noncancerous tissues. Furthermore, OCT1 siRNA significantly reduced the proliferation rate of SW620 and LoVo cells, inhibited the migration and invasion, and could reverse EMT in these two CRC cells, indicating that OCT1 plays a critical role in CRC progression.