Animal study on stanniocalcin 2 (STC2) and gastric cancer metastasis: discussing possible molecular mechanisms

To assess the role of stanniocalcin 2 protein in abdominal invasion and metastasis of gastric cancer, and its molecular mechanism.

The study was conducted at the Department of General Surgery, Jiangxi Provincial People's Hospital, Nanchang, Jiangxi, China, from January 2020 to March 2022 and comprised female mice that were divided into the experimental group A and control group B. Satellite glial cells 7901 were inoculated into the stomach wall to induce metastasis. In group A, the ce ls were genetica ly modified using short hairpin ribonucleic acid to silence stanniocalcin 2 expression. The silencing effect was confirmed via Western blot. Tumour metrics, including size, weight and number, were measured, alongside cell migration and invasion using Transwell assays. Data was analysed using SPSS 21.

Of the 36 mice, 18(50%) were in each of the two groups. There was a significant reduction in tumour volume, weight and number in group A compared to group B (p<0.05). Survival time was notably extended in group A than group B (p<0.001). Western blot analysis revealed significantly lower VEGF-C and interleukin-10 (IL-10) protein levels in group B (approximately a 50% reduction for VEGF-C and a 40% reduction for IL-10, p< 0.01). Transwell assay results suggested that stanniocalcin 2 (STC2) promotes cell invasion and metastasis, as the invasion rate in the STC2-overexpressing group was significantly higher compared to controls (increase of approximately 40%, p< 0.05).

The invasion and metastasis potential of gastric pain cells decreased after silencing stanniocalcin 2, suggesting that it may promote the invasion and metastasis of gastric cancer.