Overexpression of Beclin1 enhances autophagy and inhibits epithelial mesenchymal transition in melanoma A375 cells

Abstract

Objective To investigate the effect of Beclin1 overexpression on autophagy and EMT in melanoma A375 cells. Methods Human malignant melanoma A375 cells were divided into three groups by liposome transfection, i.e., blank group(no plasmid), NC group(transfection empty plasmid), and transfection group(transfection with Beclin1). These three groups were inoculated subcutaneously in three groups of nude mice for 21 days after tumor formation. The expression levels of mRNA and proteins, including Beclin1, LC3Ⅱ, Vimentin, N-cadherin and E-cadheirn, were detected by RT-PCR and Western blotting, respectively. Results Although tumor developed in all three groups, the tumor growth rate was significantly lower in the transfection group than in either blank or NC groups (P0.05). Compared with the blank and NC groups, the transfection group displayed significantly higher expression levels of both mRNA and proteins for Beclin1, LC3Ⅱ and E-cadherin (P<0.05), and lower expression levels of mRNA and proteins for Vimentin and N-cadherin (P<0.05). Conclusion Beclin1 overexpression enhances autophagy and inhibits EMT in melanoma cells.

Keywords

• beclin1
• overexpression
• autophagy
• melanoma
• epithelial mesenchymal transition