Down-regulation of EZH2 by RNA interference inhibits proliferation and invasion of ACHN cells via the Wnt/β- catenin pathway.

Although enhancer of zeste homolog 2 (EZH2) has been reported as an independent prognostic factor in renal cell carcinoma (RCC), little is known about the exact mechanism of EZH2 in promoting the genesis of RCC. However, several studies have shown that dysregulation of the Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway plays a crucial role. Therefore, we determined whether EZH2 could affect ACHN human RCC cell proliferation and invasion via the Wnt/β-catenin pathway. In the present study, we investigated the effects of short interfering RNA (siRNA)-mediated EZH2 gene silencing on Wnt/β-catenin signaling in ACHN cells. EZH2-siRNA markedly inhibited the proliferation and invasion capabilities of ACHN, while also reducing the expression of EZH2, Wnt3a and β-catenin. In contrast, cellular expression of GSK-3β (glycogen synthase kinase-3β), an inhibitor of the Wnt/β-catenin pathway, was conspicuously higher after transfection of EZH2 siRNA. These preliminary findings suggest EZH2 may promote proliferation and invasion of ACHN cells via action on the Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway.