Enhancer of Zeste Homolog 2 Expression Is Associated With Tumor Cell Proliferation and Invasion in Cervical Cancer

Introduction: Enhancer of zeste homolog 2 (EZH2) has been reported to be associated with biological malignancy in several cancers. High expression of EZH2 is associated with tumor cell proliferation, invasion and metastasis and has important clinicopathologic significance. However, little is known about the function and mechanisms of EZH2 in cervical cancer. Methods: This study was conducted to investigate the clinical value of EZH2 expression in cervical cancer and the association between EZH2 and possible downstream proteins using EZH2-targeted interfering RNA. Results: EZH2 expression rate was significantly greater in cervical cancer tissue than in normal cervical tissue both in mRNA and protein level. High EZH2 expression was significantly associated with differentiation, depth and lymphatic invasion. EZH2 gene RNAi resulted in inhibition of cell growth, cell cycle arrest and decreased ability of invasion in C33A cells. PCNA and MMP-2 expressions were downregulated, whereas p21 was upregulated after inhibition of EZH2. Conclusions: High EZH2 expression may be associated with tumor cell proliferation and invasion in cervical cancer, and that EZH2 may be one of the candidates for new molecular therapeutic targets for the treatment of cervical cancer.