HOXD13 promotes the malignant progression of colon cancer by upregulating PTPRN2

PURPOSE: The homeobox (HOX) family plays an important role in multi‐biological processes, such as morphogenesis and tumors. However, the function of HOXD13 in colon cancer remains unclear. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The Cancer Genome Atlas database was used to analyze the expression of HOXD13 and its effect on the survival rate of colon cancer patients. Wound healing, Transwell, and clone formation were used to evaluate the effects of changes in HOXD13 expression on the function of colon cancer cells. A nude mouse xenograft tumor model was used to test the effects of HOXD13 on tumor growth in vivo. RESULTS: Our results showed that HOXD13 was highly expressed in colon cancer and predicted a poor prognosis for patients. In in vitro experiments, the knockdown of HOXD13 can inhibit the proliferation and invasion of colon cancer cells. In vivo experiments showed the inhibited tumor growth after the knockdown of HODX13. In addition, HOXD13 bound to the protein tyrosine phosphatase receptor type N2 (PTPRN2) promoter and promoted the transcription of PTPRN2. CONCLUSION: We revealed the function and mechanism of HOXD13 in colon cancer and suggest that HOXD13 may be a candidate marker for the diagnosis and treatment of colon cancer.