Knockdown of inhibits cell proliferation partly through the AKT signaling pathway and represses epithelial-mesenchymal transition in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma.

Background: To investigate the role and mechanism of erythropoietin-producing hepatocyte receptor B3 () in cancer of esophageal squamous cells.

Methods: expression in esophageal carcinoma squamous tissue and cell lines was determined by immunohistochemistry, western blotting and qRT-PCR. The viability, invasion and migration of cells were assessed by Transwell assay, formation of colonies, CCK-8, and healing of wounds, respectively. Flow cytometry analysis was employed to evaluate the actions of on the activity of the cell cycle and the degree of apoptosis. The activity of EphB3 on the growth of tumors was examined in a mouse xenograft model.

Results: was highly expressed in esophageal squamous cell cancer tissue and was positively correlated with cell differentiation, metastasis in lymph node and the TNM stage. Patients with higher expression had poorer prognosis in 3-year overall survival rate. EphB3 also overexpressed in esophageal squamous cell cancer cell lines. Knock down of expression suppressed proliferation, migration and the invasion of cells and was shown to delay the growth of tumors . Silencing of reduced the expression of , and altered the epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) process. Furthermore, AKT signal pathway agonist SC79 reversed EphB3 downregulation-mediated inhibition of cell proliferation, migration, invasion and EMT process.

Conclusions: EphB3 knockdown inhibited the proliferation of esophageal squamous cell cancer partly through the AKT signaling pathway and repressed cell migration and invasion via EMT reversion. The findings of the study suggested that EphB3 might be a novel target for the therapy of esophageal carcinoma.