Cobalt Chloride-induced Hypoxia Induces Epithelial-mesenchymal Transition in Renal Carcinoma Cell Lines

To establish epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) models in renal cell carcinoma (RCC) cell lines.

The RCC cell lines A498 and 786-O were used in the experiment and CoCl₂ was used to simulate hypoxia. Cells were cultured with different concentrations of CoCl₂. Morphology and changes in cytoactivity were observed. After CoCl2 treatment, the expression of HIF-1α and the changes of EMT-related molecules (E-cadherin, fibronectin) were detected.

Cell conjunctions of CoCl₂-treated groups were loose and scattered compared to the control. CoCl₂ did not promote or attenuate the viability of A498 cells at low dosage, but when the concentration of CoCl₂ reached 250 μM, cell activity gradually declined. In contrast, CoCl₂ induced 786-O cell proliferation in the range of 50 μ M-200 μ M, but inhibited cell growth at dosages higher than 200 μM. The expression of E-cadherin was significantly down-regulated, and fibronectin was up-regulated in both A498 and 786-O cell lines under CoCl₂-simulated hypoxia in comparison with normoxic conditions (P<0.01).

CoCl₂-induced hypoxia could induce EMT in RCC cell lines. The models will help us further study the mechanisms of EMT and investigate novel therapeutic targets to inhibit tumor invasion and metastasis.