NFIL3 Acts as a Nuclear Factor to Increase Osteosarcoma Progression

PURPOSE: Osteosarcoma is one of the most common primary malignant, aggressive bone neoplasms. However, the mechanisms of osteosarcoma proliferation, migration, and invasion are not well understood. To explore the possible mechanism of osteosarcoma progression, we used a public database for gene analysis to identify the possible factors that are important in osteosarcoma progression. Nuclear factor interleukin 3 (NFIL3) regulated was highly expressed in sarcoma tissues. In this study, we meant to probe the function of NFIL3 in osteosarcoma proliferation, migration, and invasion. METHODS: The expression of NFIL3 in osteosarcoma tissues was analysed via RT-PCR and immunohistochemistry staining. In order to elucidate the function of NFIL3 in osteosarcoma, we performed cell growth assays and colony formation assays to explore the role of NFIL3 in proliferation in osteosarcoma cells. Futhermore, we analysed osteosarcoma cell migration and invasion via wound healing assays and transwell migration and invasion assays. RESULTS: NFIL3 is overexpressed in osteosarcoma tissues; 15 of the 20 osteosarcoma tissues analysed highly expressed NFIL3. Our in vitro experiments confirmed that NFIL3 promoted the proliferation of M6-63 and SaOS2 cells (P < 0.01). In addition, NFIL3 promoted the migration and invasion of osteosarcoma cells (P < 0.05). CONCLUSION: NFIL3 is highly expressed in osteosarcoma tissues and thus promotes the proliferation, migration, and invasion of osteosarcoma cells. NFIL3 is potential to become a new target for development of novel treatment strategies of osteosarcoma.