SLC12A5 interacts and enhances SOX18 activity to promote bladder urothelial carcinoma progression via upregulating MMP7

Solute carrier family 12 member 5 (SLC12A5) has an oncogenic role in bladder urothelial carcinoma. The present study aimed to characterize the molecular mechanisms of SLC12A5 in bladder urothelial carcinoma pathogenesis. Functional assays identified that in bladder urothelial carcinoma SLC12A5 interacts with and stabilizes SOX18, and then upregulates matrix metalloproteinase 7 (MMP7). In vivo and in vitro assays were performed to confirm the effect of SLC12A5’s interaction with SOX18 on MMP7‐mediated bladder urothelial carcinoma progression. SLC12A5 was upregulated in human bladder tumors, and correlated with the poor survival of patients with bladder urothelial carcinoma tumor invasion and metastasis, promoted by SLC12A5 overexpression. We demonstrated that SLC12A5 interacted with SOX18, and then upregulated MMP7, thus enhancing tumor progression. Importantly, SLC12A5 expression correlated positively with SOX18 and MMP7 expression in bladder urothelial carcinoma. Furthermore, SLC12A5 expression was suppressed by miR‐133a‐3p. Ectopic expression of SLC12A5 partly abolished miR‐133a‐3p‐mediated suppression of cell migration. SLC12A5‐SOX18 complex‐mediated upregulation on MMP7 was important in bladder urothelial carcinoma progression. The miR‐133a‐3p/SLC12A5/SOX18/MMP7 signaling axis was critical for progression, and provided an effective therapeutic approach against bladder urothelial carcinoma.