Knocking down Sterol regulatory element binding protein 2 (SREBF2) inhibits the Serine Protease 8 (PRSS8) /sodium channel epithelial 1alpha subunit (SCNN1A) axis to reduce the cell proliferation, migration and epithelial-mesenchymal transformation of ovarian cancer

Figures & data

Figure 1. PRSS8 was upregulated in ovarian cancer. A. The GEPIA database predicted the expression of PRSS8 in OC tissues. B. ELISA assay detected the expression of PRSS8 in serum of patients with OC. C. RT-qPCR detected the expression of PRSS8 in cells. D. Western blot detected the expression of PRSS8 in cells.*p < 0.05, ***p < 0.001

Figure 2. Knocking down PRSS8 attenuated proliferation, migration, and EMT of OC cells. A. Western blot detected the expression of PRSS8 in cells after cell transfection. B. CCK-8 detected the cell viability. C. Clone formation assay detected cell proliferation. D. Wound healing detected the cell migration. E. Western blot detected the expression of EMT-related proteins in cells. **p < 0.01, ***p < 0.001

Figure 3. SREBF2 transcriptional regulated PRSS8. A. JASPAR database predicted binding sites of SREBF2 and PRSS8 promoters (Site1 and Site2). B. Western blot detected the expression of SREBF2 in cells after cell transfection. C. The luciferase reporter gene validated the binding between SREBF2 and PRSS8. WT: wild-type PRSS8, MUT: Mutant PPRSS8, 1:site1, 2: site2. D. ChIP test was used to detect the binding relationship between SREBF2 and PRSS8. **p < 0.01, ***p < 0.001

Figure 4. Knocking down SREBF2 reduced PRSS8 and thus inhibited SCNN1A expression. A. ELISA assay detected the expression of SREBF2 in serum of patients with OC. B. Western blot detected the expression of SREBF2 in cells. C. Western blot detected the expression of PRSS8 in cells after cell transfection. D. The String website predicted that PRSS8-targeted regulated SCNN1A expression. E. IP assay detected that PRSS8 binds to SCNN1A. E. The luciferase reporter gene validated the binding between SCNN1A and PRSS8. F. ELISA assay detected the expression of SREBF2 in serum of patients with OC. G. Western blot detected the expression of SCNN1A in cells. C. Western blot detected the expression of SCNN1A in cells after cell transfection. I. Western blot detected the expression of PRSS8 and SCNN1A in cells after cell transfection. *p < 0.05, **p < 0.01, ***p < 0.001

Figure 5. Knocking down SREBF2 reduced the proliferation, migration and EMT of OC cells by reducing PRSS8 and thereby inhibiting SCNN1A expression. A. CCK-8 detected the cell viability. B. Clone formation assay detected cell proliferation. C. Wound healing detected the cell migration. D. Western blot detected the expression of EMT-related proteins in cells. *p < 0.05, **p < 0.01, ***p < 0.001

Figure 6. Knocking down SREBF2 inhibited tumor tissue growth in OC mice by reducing PRSS8. A. Photos of nude mice. B. Body weight statistics of mice. C. Tumor tissue photographs. D. Statistics of tumor tissue size. E. Statistical diagram of tumor tissue weight. F. Western blot detected the expression of SREBF2 in cells. G. Western blot detected the expression of PRSS8 and SCNN1A. *p < 0.05, **p < 0.01, ***p < 0.001