Integrin subunit alpha V promotes growth, migration, and invasion of gastric cancer cells.

Integrin subunit alpha V (ITGAV), a member of integrin family of extracellular matrix receptors, is involved in many types of cancer. In this study, the expression levels, clinical features and prognosis of ITGAV in gastric cancer (GC) patients were investigated, and the functional roles of ITGAV were also investigated. Cell Counting Kit-8 (CCK-8) assay was performed to examine the proliferation of GC cells. Transwell assays and wound-healing assays were conducted to explore the effect of ITGAV expression on GC cell migration and invasion. We found that ITGAV was overexpressed in both GC tissues and GC cells. ITGAV expression was positively correlated with lymph node metastasis and TNM stage of GC. High expression of ITGAV was associated with shorter overall survival (OS) and disease-free survival (DFS). Interestingly, the downregulation of ITGAV resulted in suppression of proliferation, migration, and invasion in GC cells. In conclusion, ITGAV is overexpressed in gastric cancer and is associated with poorer prognostic outcomes. ITGAV may serve as an important prognostic marker for GC staging and progression.