Enhanced expression of KIF4A in colorectal cancer is associated with lymph node metastasis

Kinesin family member 4A (KIF4A) is a member of the kinesin 4 subfamily of kinesin-related proteins and serves an important role in cell division. The expression levels of KIF4A have been investigated in numerous types of cancer, including cervical, lung, oral, and breast cancer, and are established to be associated with poor patient prognosis. However, the role of KIF4A, as well as its expression in colorectal cancer (CRC), remains to be elucidated. Therefore, the current study investigated KIF4A expression levels in patients with CRC and demonstrated that its levels were increased in tumor tissues compared with non-tumor tissues. To investigate the functional role of KIF4A, KIF4A was knocked down in CRC cells and cell viability was evaluated. CRC cells with KIF4A knockdown exhibited lower cell proliferation compared with control cells. In addition, KIF4A expression levels, as determined by immunohistochemistry, were compared with the expression of Ki-67, but no significant associations were observed in the patients with CRC. Therefore, KIF4A was found to be upregulated in patients with CRC and downregulation of KIF4A reduced cell proliferation in CRC cells. These results suggest that KIF4A may be a potential therapeutic target, which may improve the outcomes of patients with CRC.