Inhibition of Chitinase-3-like Protein 1 Reduced Epithelial-Mesenchymal Transition and Vascular Epithelial Cadherin...

Oesophageal cancer (EC) is one of the common malignant tumors, and the prognosis of patients is poor. Further exploration of EC pathogenesis remains warranted.

The relationship between vascular epithelial cadherin (VE-cadherin) and chitinase-3-like protein 1 (CHI3L1) in EC is currently unknown. To further explore the relationship, immunohistochemical staining was performed to detect the expression level of CHI3L1 and VE-cadherin in oesophageal squamous cell carcinoma ( ESCC).

Small interfering RNAs (siRNAs) inhibited CHI3L1 expression in KYSE-150 and TE1 cells. Western blot and quantitative fluorescence polymerase chain reaction were used to detect the levels of CHI3L1, VE-cadherin and epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT)-related proteins in vitro and in vivo, and KYSE-150 cells were used to establish an in-vivo model and observe tumour growth.

High levels of CHI3L1 and VE-cadherin expression were closely associated with the progression of ESCC; the pathologic tumour-node-metastasis stage was also closely related with the progression of ESCC (p < 0.05). High levels of CHI3L1 and VE-cadherin expression led to poor prognosis in patients with EC. In KYSE-150 and TE1 EC cell lines, the invasion, migration and proliferation of cells decreased, and the apoptotic rate increased after CHI3L1 expression was decreased using siRNA. The CHI3L1, VE-cadherin, Snail, Twist1 protein and mRNA expression levels decreased, whereas the E-cadherin levels increased.

Chitinase-3-like protein 1 could promote the EMT of ESCC, and the inhibition of CHI3L1 decreases the expression of VE-cadherin, which inhibits tumour angiogenesis and tumour progression in ESCC.