Fig. 5

ZEB1 mediates MTMR2-induced EMT by inactivating IFNγ/STAT1 in GC cells. a, b qRT-PCR and Western blot showed that MTMR2 knockdown significantly decreased ZEB1 expression at both mRNA (a) and protein (b) levels in sh-MTMR2 MGC803 and BGC823 cells, while the expression of Twist, Snail and Slug were not or less affected. c, d qRT-PCR and Western blot showed that overexpressing MTMR2 markedly increased ZEB1 expression at both mRNA (c) and protein (d) levels in over-MTMR2 MGC803 and BGC823 cells, but less affected the expression of Twist, Snail and Slug. e IFNγ treatment (50 ng/mL, 48 h) increased phosphorylation of STAT1 and downregulated ZEB1 in control MGC803 and BGC823 cells, and attenuated the upregulation of MTMR2 overexpression on ZEB1 in over-MTMR2 cells. f, g Both JAK inhibitor (f) and STAT1 siRNA (g) decreased phosphorylation of STAT1 and upregulated ZEB1 in mock MGC803 and BGC823 cells, and reversed the downregulation of MTMR2 knockdown on ZEB1 in sh-MTMR2 MGC803 and BGC823 cells. h Depletion of ZEB1 significantly upregulated E-cadherin and downregulated N-cadherin and vimentin in sh-MTMR2 and mock MGC803 and BGC823 cells. i Depletion of ZEB1 significantly decreased the invasive ability in sh-MTMR2 and mock MGC803 and BGC823 cells, **, P < 0.01, ***, P < 0.001