Effect of WWOX on epithelial-mesenchymal transition in ovarian cancer cells in vivo, and its association with Elf5/Snail-1 signal pathway

Purpose: To investigate how WW domain-containing oxidoreductase (WWOX) gene affects epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) of ovarian cancer (OC) cells, and the implication Elf5/Snail-1 pathway in process.
 Methods: This study employed female BALB/c nude mice aged 6 weeks. The expression levels E-cadherin, β-Catenin, N-cadherin, Vimentin, Snail1 Elf5 were assayed using qRT-PCR. protein WW1, WW2, E-cad, β-Cat, N-cad, vimentin, Snail-1 determined western blotting (WB). Invasion changes cells each group analyzed by Transwell invasion test while WWOX evaluated GST pull-down test; furthermore, ELF5 co-immunoprecipitation (COIP).
 Results: Relative to control group, tumor volume weight high-expression significantly decreased, those low-expression increased (p < 0.05). β-catenin increased, but vimentin decreased high group. In β-cat down-regulated, up-regulated declined; on other hand, N-Cad, elevated after mutation WW1 domain 0.05).
 Conclusion: Based vivo results, role WWOX/Elf5/Snail1 signal route cancer, its related mechanisms have been clarified. provides a new target for therapy cancer.