Bmi-1 serves as a potential novel marker for progression in human cutaneous basal cell carcinoma

B-cell-specific Moloney murine leukemia virus integration site 1 (Bmi-1) is one of the core members of the PRC1 complex (the polycomb gene family) involved in tumorigenesis. The aim of this study is to investigate the expression and possible function of Bmi-1 in cutaneous basal cell carcinoma (BCC). Here, by immunohistochemical staining, we found that elevated Bmi-1 expression was more commonly observed in fresh BCC tissues compared with normal. Bmi-1 RNAi revealed that suppression of endogenous Bmi-1 expression in A431 cells attenuated cell proliferation, invasion, and induced apoptosis of BCC cells. Indicating Bmi-1 may play an important role in progression of BCC and may serve as a novel marker for therapeutic targets.