Overexpression ZNF281 facilitates cervical cancer cells invasion by promoting epithelial-mesenchymal transition without affecting proliferation

Background: Zinc finger transcription factor ZNF281 was first named GC-box-binding zinc-finger protein. Relevant studies have confirmed that ZNF281 protein is involved in the process of cell proliferation, cell apoptosis, cell differentiation and tumorigenesis. However, the function of ZNF281 in cervical cancer remains unknown. Methods Both IHC and western blot assays demonstrated that the expression of ZNF281 protein in cervical cancer tissue was much higher than that in normal cervical tissue. ZNF281 was also expressed in human cervical carcinoma cell lines of HeLa, SiHa, C-33 A, CaSki and HT-3. Immunocytochemistry results showed that ZNF281 protein expresses both in the cell nucleus and cytoplasm. Results ZNF281 overexpression didn’t affect HeLa cells proliferation and tumor size in situ according to xenograft experiments in nude mice. However, trans-well experiments indicated ZNF281 overexpression facilitated migration and invasion. More tumor lesions were found in the lungs of the nude mice injected with ZNF281 overexpression cell lines than mice injected with control lines. Conclusion All these results suggest ZNF281 promoted tumor metastasis without affecting cell proliferation.