PEBP4 is upregulated in gastric cancer and promotes the growth and migration of cancer cells

Phosphatidylethanolamine-binding protein 4 (PEBP4) is a member of the PEBP family and has been reported to be upregulated in various cancers. However, its expression pattern and biological functions in gastric cancer are unknown. In this study, we investigated the expression and biological roles of PEBP4 in gastric cancer cells. Our results showed that the expression of PEBP4 was significantly up-regulated in gastric cancer tissues and cell lines. In addition, knockdown of PEBP4 inhibits cell proliferation, migration and invasiveness, as well as the epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) phenotype. Furthermore, knockdown of PEBP4 greatly inhibited the levels of p-PI3K and p-Akt in gastric cancer cells. These results suggest that knockdown of PEBP4 inhibits gastric cancer development via inactivation of the PI3K/Akt signaling pathway, and PEBP4 may serve as a potential molecular target for the treatment of gastric cancer.