Inhibin, beta A regulates the transforming growth factor-beta pathway to promote malignant biological behaviour in colorectal cancer.

Inhibin, beta A (INHBA) is a member of the transforming growth factor (TGF-β) family. The carcinogenic mechanisms of INHBA during the development of colorectal cancer (CRC) remain unclear. In the present study, we further elucidated the role of INHBA in CRC. We analysed the expression of INHBA in CRC and its relationship with patient prognosis using data from public databases. INHBA expression was evaluated in CRC tissues and cell lines using immunohistochemistry and western blotting. After inhibiting the expression of INHBA, the effect of INHBA on the function of CRC cells was evaluated in vitro. We found that INHBA was upregulated in CRC. High INHBA expression is closely related to poor prognosis in patients with CRC. Knockdown of INHBA in vitro can inhibit the proliferation, migration, and invasion of CRC cells. In terms of mechanism, we found that high INHBA expression activates the TGF-β pathway. SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY: INHBA acts as an oncogene in the progression of CRC and may, therefore, be a potential therapeutic target for CRC.