Prognostic significance of artemin in gastric cancer and its role in tumorigenesis

BACKGROUND: Abundant evidence suggests that a neurotrophic factor, artemin (ARTN), is involved in the tumorigenesis and progression in several malignancies. However, the biological functions of ARTN in gastric cancer (GC) remain poorly elucidated. METHODS: ARTN expression was evaluated by immunohistochemistry in GC tissue, and its clinical and prognosis significance was analyzed. Cell counting kit-8 (CCK-8), transwell chamber assay, and western blot were used to detect the effects of ARTN knockdown on GC cell behavior in vitro. RESULTS: ARTN was highly expressed in GC tissue, and its positive expression predicted poor prognosis of GC. In vitro studies showed that ARTN knockdown inhibited the STAT3 phosphorylation, thus impeding cell proliferation and DNA synthesis in GC. Furthermore, the promotion of ARTN on the migration and invasion of GC cells was achieved by regulating the expression of MMP9 and E-cadherin. CONCLUSIONS: ARTN might be a promising prognostic marker and a potential therapeutic target for GC.