ARID1A gene knockdown promotes neuroblastoma migration and invasion

Neuroblastoma is the most common extracranial solid tumor in childhood which often acquires drug resistance and becomes aggressive phenotypes. The high-risk patients suffer from high mortality due to the limitation of the treatment strategies. ARID1A (AT-rich interactive domain-containing protein 1A), a subunit of SWI/SNF complexes, is considered as a tumor suppressor in many cancers. The aim of the present study was to investigate the effect of ARID1A on migration and invasion in neuroblastoma cells. The shRNA targeting ARID1A was designed and delivered into SK-N-SH cells to knock down ARID1A expression. Knockdown of ARID1A by shRNA significantly increased the viability and invasion ability, and caused G1 arrest inhibition and DNA synthesis increase in SK-N-SH cells. Moreover, Knockdown of ARID1A increased the activity and expression of matrix metalloproteinase (MMP)-2 and -9 in SK-N-SH cells. Furthermore, ARID1A knockdown caused diminished expression of E-cadherin, enhanced expression of N-cadherin and β-catenin nuclear translocation in SK-N-SH cells. These results suggest that loss of ARID1A may associate with the promotion of invasion and metastasis of neuroblastoma. Our findings indicate ARID1A is a tumor suppressor in neuroblastoma.