Expression of CUG-binding protein 1 in breast cancer and its effect on cell viability and invasion ability

AIM: To investigate the expression of CUG-binding protein 1 (CUGBP1) in breast cancer tissues, and to explore the effect of CUGBP1 gene silencing on the viability and invasion ability of human breast cancer MCF-7 cells. METHODS: A total of 96 cases of patients with breast cancer undergoing surgical treatment were selected in the Second Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University from March 2015 to September 2017. Immunohistochemical staining was used to detect the protein expression of CUGBP1 in the breast cancer and adjacent tissues. MCF-7 cells were cultured and divided into CUGBP1 interference sequence group, control sequence group and blank group. Western blot was used to detect the protein expression of CUGBP1, Twist, E-cadherin and vimentin in the cells. The cell viability was measured by MTT assay. The cell invasion ability was detected by Transwell assay. RESULTS: The positive expression rate of CUGBP1 protein in the breast cancer tissues was higher than that in the adjacent tissues (χ²=28.900, P<0.001). The differences of CUGBP1 protein expression in the breast cancer tissues among TNM staging, histological grading and lymph node metastasis were statistically significant (P<0.05). The relative protein expression levels of CUGBP1, Twist and vimentin in CUGBP1 interference sequence group were lower than those in control sequence group and blank group, while the relative protein expression of E-cadherin was higher than that in control sequence group and blank group (P<0.05). The cell viability at 24 h, 48 h, 72 h and 96 h in CUGBP1 interference sequence group was lower than that in control sequence group and blank group (〖P<0.05). The invasive cells in CUGBP1 interference sequence group were less than those in control sequence group and blank group (P<0.05). CONCLUSION: CUGBP1 protein is highly expressed in the breast cancer tissues. Specific silencing of 〖STBX〗CUGBP1〖STBZ〗 gene expression in breast cancer MCF-7 cells effectively inhibits the cell viability and invasiveness, and its mechanism may be related to inhibiting the process of epithelial-mesenchymal transition.