CELF1 promotes colorectal cancer proliferation and chemoresistance via activating the MAPK signaling pathway

Colorectal cancer is the third most commonly diagnosed type of cancer worldwide with a high incidence and mortality rate. The long-term post-operational survival of colorectal cancer is limited by metastasis and chemoresistance. In this study, we demonstrated that CELF1 expression was upregulated in colorectal cancer. Knockdown of CELF1 expression in colorectal cancer cells inhibited cell proliferation and chemoresistance. Conversely, overexpression of CELF1 promoted colorectal cancer cell proliferation and chemoresistance. We also determined that loss of CELF1 expression downregulated the MAPK signaling pathway, and that CELF1 regulated colorectal cancer cell proliferation via activating the MAPK signaling pathway.