Knockdown of receptor-interacting serine/threonine protein kinase-2 (RIPK2) affects EMT-associated gene expression in human hepatoma cells

摘要

Background: Receptor-interacting serine/ threonine protein kinase-2 (RIPK2) has been reported to be an important regulator of tumor proliferation, differentiation and wound repair. We investigated the effects of RIPK2 knockdown in human hepatoma cells on epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT)-associated gene expression. Materials and Methods: HepG2 cells stably expressing RIPK2-shRNA (HepG2-shRIPK2) were generated after puromycin selection. Total RNAs from HepG2-shRIPK2 and from HepG2-shcontrol cells were isolated and PCR-based arrays were performed to compare the 84 EMT-associated gene expressions. Results: We observed that knockdown of RIPK2 down-regulated mRNA expression of jagged 1 (JAG1); plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 (PAI1); regulator of G-protein signalling 2, 24 kDa (RGS2); E-cadherin (CDH1); fibroblast growth factor binding protein 1 (FGFBP1); snail homolog 2 (SNAI2); protein tyrosine phosphatase type IVA, member 1 (PTP4A1); keratin 19 (KRT19); vimentin (VIM); and survival of motor neuron protein-interacting protein 1 (SIP1). Conclusion: We found that knockdown of RIPK2 downregulated nuclear factor kappa B (NF-κB)-dependent PAI1 and VIM gene expressions. RIPK2 might play an important role in hepatic cell migration. These findings could shed new light on carcinogenesis and on liver regeneration.