CLCA2 suppresses the proliferation, migration and invasion of cervical cancer

Ca²⁺-activated Cl^- channel A2 (CLCA2), a tumor suppressor, is associated with the development of several cancers. However, little is known about CLCA2 in human cervical cancer. Therefore, the aim of the present study was to investigate the effects of CLCA2 on cervical cancer. Reverse transcription-quantitative (RT-q)PCR was used to examine the mRNA expression levels of CLCA2 in eight pairs of cervical cancer tissues. Immunohistochemistry was used to investigate CLCA2 protein expression in 144 archived cervical cancer specimens. The association of the CLCA2 with clinicopathological parameters was statistically evaluated. Cell proliferation and invasion capability were examined by MTT and Transwell assays, respectively. RT-qPCR analysis revealed that CLCA2 expression was decreased in cervical cancer compared with that in adjacent normal tissues. The expression levels of CLCA2 in patients were correlated with tumor stage (P=0.028), tumor size (P=0.009), and human papillomavirus (HPV) infection status (P=0.041). In addition, CLCA2 upregulation was associated with longer overall and recurrence-free survival time after surgery (P=0.016 and P=0.009, respectively). Multivariate Cox regression analysis demonstrated that CLCA2 expression had a predictive value for overall survival of patients with cervical cancer (P=0.017 and P=0.025, respectively). Knockdown of CLCA2 by small interfering RNA suppressed tumor cell proliferation and migration. Mechanistically, CLCA2 was involved in Wnt/β-catenin signaling. In conclusion, the results of the present study demonstrated that CLCA2 suppressed the proliferation, migration and invasion of cervical cancer cells, and that CLCA2 may be a potential therapeutic target of cervical cancer.