Abstract: Objective To investigate the effect of MSX2 interference on epithelial-mesenchymal transitions (EMT) of pancreatic
cancer cell line PANC-1. Methods Three vectors containing short hairpin RNAs (shRNAs) of MSX2 (shMSX2-1, shMSX2-2, and
shMSX2-3) and the empty vector (negative control) were transfected separately into PANC-1 cell line with Lipofectamine2000.
Real-time RT-PCR and Western blotting were used to observe changes in the expressions of MSX2, E-cadherin, and vimentin in
the cells. CCK-8 assay was used to assess the changes in the cell growth, and wound scratch assay and Transwell assay were
employed to evaluate the cell invasion and metastasis after the transfection. Results Among the 3 shRNA, shMSX2-1 showed
the highest interference efficiency. MSX2 knockdown by the specific shRNA of MSX2 significantly increased E-cadherin
expressions, lowered vimentin expressions, and suppressed the invasion, metastasis and proliferation of the cells (P<0.05).
MSX2 knockdown also resulted in morphological changes of the cells into cobblestone-like cells in close contact. RT-PCR
results revealed significantly reduced mRNA expressions of the transcription factors snail and twist (P<0.05) without affecting
slug and zeb1 expressions in the cells with MSX2 knockdown. Conclusion MSX2 knockdown can reverse EMT and induce
MET in PANC1 cells, in which process the transcription factors snail and twist may play a role.