Open Access

ARTICLE

ABCB5–ZEB1 Axis Promotes Invasion and Metastasis in Breast Cancer Cells

Juntao Yao^*†, Xuan Yao^‡, Tao Tian^*, Xiao Fu^*, Wenjuan Wang^*, Suoni Li^§, Tingting Shi^*, Aili Suo^*, Zhiping Ruan^*, Hui Guo^*, Kejun Nan^*, Xiongwei Huo^¶

* Department of Oncology, First Affiliated Hospital of Xi’an Jiaotong University, Xi’an, Shaanxi, P.R. China
† The Integrated Department of TCM and Western Medicine, Shaanxi Provincial Tumor Hospital, Xi’an, Shaanxi, P.R. China
‡ Department of Thoracic Surgery, The Center Hospital of Xi’an, Shaanxi, P.R. China
§ Department of Oncology, Shaanxi Provincial Tumor Hospital, Xi’an, Shaanxi, P.R. China
¶ Department of General Surgery, First Affiliated Hospital of Xi’an Jiaotong University, Xi’an, Shaanxi, P.R. China

Oncology Research 2017, 25(3), 305-316. https://doi.org/10.3727/096504016X14734149559061

Abstract

ABCB5 belongs to the ATP-binding cassette (ABC) superfamily, which is recognized for playing a role in the failure of chemotherapy. ABCB5 has also been found to be overexpressed at the transcriptional level in a number of cancer subtypes, including breast cancer. However, the exact mechanism ABCB5 uses on cancer cell metastasis is still unclear. In the present study, we demonstrate that ABCB5 expression was increased in metastatic tissues when compared with nonmetastatic tissues. ABCB5 can significantly enhance metastasis and epithelial–mesenchymal transition (EMT), while knockdown of ABCB5 inhibited these processes. Microarray analysis indicated that ZEB1 may function as a downstream factor of ABCB5. Furthermore, the expression of ZEB1 in tissues is positively relevant to ABCB5 in breast cancer. Knocking down ZEB1 inhibits ABCB5 ectopic expression-induced migration and invasion, as well as EMT. Taken together, these results helped to realize the oncogene functions of ABCB5 in breast cancer cells and provided a new direction in treating breast cancer.

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