Homeobox A10 promotes the proliferation and invasion of bladder cancer cells via regulation of matrix metalloproteinase-3

Homeobox A10 (HOXA10) belongs to the family of HOX genes, which are closely connected with embryonic development and serve important roles in various tumors. However, the role of HOXA10 in bladder cancer (BC) remains unclear. In the present study, the role of HOXA10 in BC and the underlying mechanisms by which it promotes the disease progression were investigated. Immunohistochemical analysis demonstrated that the expression of the HOXA10 protein was significantly higher in BC tissues as compared with that in adjacent normal tissues. Subsequent statistical analysis revealed that upregulation of HOXA10 was significantly associated with the pathological grade and clinical stage of BC patients. In the BC cell lines T24 and 5637, silencing of HOXA10 by small interfering RNA transfection suppressed the proliferation, migration and invasion of BC cells, and led to decreased matrix metalloproteinase-3 expression. Taken together, overexpression of HOXA10 may be associated with poor prognosis in BC, and may serve as a novel antitumor therapy target for the treatment of this disease.