shRNA-mediated downregulation of α-N-Acetylgalactosaminidase inhibits migration and invasion of cancer cell lines

Objective(s): Extracellular matrix (ECM) is composed of many kinds of glycoproteins containing glycosaminoglycans (GAGs) moiety. The research was conducted based on the N-Acetylgalactosamine (GalNAc) degradation of ECM components by alpha-N-acetylgalactosaminidase (Nagalase) which facilitates migration and invasion of cancer cells. This study aims to investigate the effects of Naga-shRNA downregulation on migration and invasion of cancer cell lines. Materials and Methods: In this study, MCF-7 cell line (human mammary carcinoma cell line) and A2780 (human ovarian carcinoma cell line) were used. The level of normalized Naga expression and Nagalase protein were evaluated by quantitative polymerase chain reaction and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay/western blotting, respectively. Migration and invasion were determined using transwell assays, and statistical analysis was carried out by ANOVA test. Results: Response to transduction by shRNA compared to the control group, migrative and invasive properties of the transfected cells were significantly inhibited. Conclusion: These results indicate that Nagalase may have an important role in migration and invasion of cancer cells and can be considered as a candidate for further studies.