Down-regulation of EZH2 genes targeting RUNX3 affects proliferation, invasion, and metastasis of human colon cancer cells by Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway

In order to detect the effect of EZH2 genes on proliferation, migration, invasion, and apoptosis of colon carcinoma cell strains HCT116 and HT29 by the Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway, qRT-PCR was applied to measure relative expressions of EZH2, RUNX3, CEA, CA199, MMP-9, VEGF, β-catenin, and CyclinD1 in each group; Western-blot was employed with the intention of exploring relative expressions of these proteins in vivo and in vitro; monoclonal proliferation experiments and CCK-8 assay was adopted so as to check cell proliferation; the effect on cell migration was investigated via Transwell assay and cell scratch wound assay; flow cytometry was applied with a view to determining the effect on cell apoptosis. Transfected HCT116 cells are injected subcutaneously into nude mice. In colon cell strains HCT-116 and HT29, contrasted to the si-NC group, the RUNX3 expression was prominently up-regulated in the si-EZH2 group. Besides, expressions of CEA, CA199, MMP-9, and VEGF were significantly reduced; down-regulation of EZH2 genes remarkably inhibited cell proliferation, invasion and migration when facilitating apoptosis; down-regulation of EZH2 genes also significantly reduced expressions of essential proteins β-catenin and CyclinD1 on the Wnt pathway. The subcutaneous tumor body of nude mice was reduced. EZH2-OE is the opposite trend to si-EZH2; The EZH2 gene may target regulatory RUNX3 regulation via that Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway, hence affecting colon carcinoma cell proliferation, invasion, migration, and apoptosis. Therefore, EZH2 may become a promising target for the clinical therapy of colon carcinoma.