KLF5-mediated Eppk1 expression promotes cell proliferation in cervical cancer via the p38 signaling pathway

BACKGROUND: Epiplakin1 (Eppk1) is part of epidermal growth factor (EGF) signal and takes part in reorganization of cytoskeleton and cell proliferation. However, the role of Eppk1 in cervical cancer (CC) remains unknown. METHODS: To express Eppk1 and KLF5 and their correlation, we used RNA-sequence, RT-qPCR, TCGA database and immunofluorescence staining in vitro and in different pathological cervical tissues. In CC cell lines, we tested adenovirus-mediated over expression or knockdown of KLF5 and siRNA-mediated knockdown of Eppk1 and a suiting assessment of cell proliferation and cell signaling by western blot and CCK8 tests. We studied the mechanism by which KLF5 regulates Eppk1 expression by reporter gene test and chromatin immunoprecipitation test. RESULTS: Eppk1 expression promoted in CC tissues and cell lines compared with increased KLF5 expression. The results of immunofluorescence staining further showed the increased co-expression of Eppk1 and KLF5 correlated substantially with tumorigenesis in cervical tissues. Overexpression of KLF5 significantly increased Eppk1 expression at transcription and translation levels. Conversely, the knockdown of KLF5 by siRNA against KLF5 decreased Eppk1 expression. Mechanically, KLF5 activated Eppk1 transcription by direct binding to the Eppk1 promoter. Gain- and loss-of-function experiments reported that KLF5 promoted cell proliferation in Hela partly dependent on Eppk1 upregulation. Besides, KLF5-mediated activation of p38 signaling significantly decreased after Eppk1 knockdown compared with decline of proliferation, suggesting that Eppk1 lies upstream of p38 signaling affecting cell proliferation. Finally, Eppk1 expression is positively correlated with tumor size in clinicopathological features of CC. CONCLUSIONS: Eppk1 may be an effective therapeutic target for affecting p38 signaling pathway and cell proliferation in cervical cancer. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12885-021-08040-y.