SOX2 inhibits cell proliferation and metastasis, promotes apoptotic by downregulating CCND1 and PARP in gastric cancer.

Inconsistent results of Sex-determining region Y-box2 (SOX2) expression have been reported in gastric cancer (GC) before. Our recent studies showed that SOX2 was significantly downregulated in GC cells compared with GES-1 at both mRNA and protein level. Transfected with pcDNA3.1-SOX2 resulted in enforced expression of SOX2 at mRNA and protein levels compared with NC group in undifferentiated cell lines including HGC27 and BGC823. MTT assay showed that exogenous expressed SOX2 suppressed cell proliferation. FC analysis revealed that SOX2-overexpressing cells exhibited cell-cycle arrest and apoptosis. Transwell assay showed the anti-metastatic effect of SOX2 in GC cells. The subsequent results suggested CCND1 and PARP were downregulated in SOX2 overexpressed GC cells, and were responsible for the SOX2-induced anticancer effects. Thus, SOX2 proved to be an expected biomarker in GC diagnosis.