EGFL6 promotes cell proliferation in colorectal cancer via regulation of the WNT/β-catenin pathway.

Epidermal growth factor-like protein 6 (EGFL6) serves as an exocrine protein promoting proliferation and migration during carcinogenesis in ovarian cancer. However, its function and mechanisms in colorectal cancer (CRC) have not been completely explored. To investigate the role of EGFL6 in CRC cell growth, in vitro CCK8, colony formation assays, flow cytometric analysis of the cell cycle and apoptosis, and an in vivo tumor xenograft model were utilized. Additionally, Western blotting and luciferase reporter assays were used to investigate the underlying mechanisms of EGFL6 function on the WNT/β-catenin signaling pathway. Immunohistochemical staining showed that EGFL6 is overexpressed in CRCs and this overexpression was highly correlated with advanced T classification, N classification, distant metastasis, and poor survival. Knocking down EGFL6 in CRC cell lines induced the inhibition of cell growth, cell cycle arrest at the G0/G1 phase, and apoptosis. Further, knockdown of EGFL6 blocked WNT/β-catenin signaling as measured by Western blotting and luciferase reporter assay. Results also showed that recombinant EGFL6 (rEGFL6) induced β-catenin in a concentration- and time-dependent manner. Further experiments showed that administration of rEGFL6 to cell cultures with EGFL6 knocked down or treated with the WNT/β-catenin inhibitor ICG-001 increased β-catenin and its downstream protein CyclinD1. The CCK8 assay showed that EGFL6 promoted CRC cell growth partly by the promotion of TCF7L2 expression. These findings suggest that EGFL6 plays a crucial role in the progression of CRC by regulation of the WNT/β-catenin signaling pathway.