HDAC2 enhances esophageal squamous cell carcinoma development through down-regulating microRNA-503-5p and promoting CXCL10

OBJECTIVE: Although esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC)-oriented mechanism has been widely explored, the integrated action of histone deacetylase 2 (HDAC2), microRNA (miR)-503-5p and C-X-C motif chemokine 10 (CXCL10) in ESCC has not been thoroughly explored. Thus, we performed the research to study the role of HDAC2/miR-503-5p/CXCL10 axis in ESCC. METHODS: ESCC tissues and mucosal tissues (5 cm from cancer tissues) were collected, in which HDAC2, miR-503-5p and CXCL10 expression levels were tested. The mechanism of HDAC2, miR-503-5p and CXCL10 was interpreted. The viability, colony formation ability, apoptosis, invasion and migration abilities of ESCC cells were tested after HDAC2, miR-503-5p or CXCL10 expression was altered. Tumorigenesis in mice was observed to further verify the in vitro effects of HDAC2 and miR-503-5p. RESULTS: HDAC2 and CXCL10 were up-regulated while miR-503-5p was down-regulated in ESCC. HDAC2 bound to miR-503-5p and miR-503-5p targeted CXCL10. Silencing HDAC2 or restoring miR-503-5p depressed viability, colony-forming, invasion and migration abilities and enhanced apoptosis of ESCC cells in vitro, as well as suppressed ESCC tumorigenesis in vivo. Inhibition of miR-503-5p or elevation of CXCL10 negated HDAC2 knockout-induced effects on ESCC cells. CONCLUSION: This work elucidates that HDAC2 knockdown retards the process of ESCC by elevating miR-503-5p and inhibiting CXCL10 expression, which may provide a guidance for ESCC management. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s13148-021-01068-8.