GALNT14 promotes cancer stem cell-like characteristics and metastasis of nasopharyngeal carcinoma cells through upregulating SOX4

Background Polypeptide N-acetyl-galactosaminyltransferase 14 (GALNT14) participates in physiological processes, including cell-cell interaction and cell-matrix adhesion. Over-expression of GALNT14 in various tumors is related to metastasis and poor prognosis. GALNT14 promoted the self-renewal property and facilitated metastasis of breast cancer. However, the effect of GALNT14 on cancer stem cell-like characteristics and metastasis of nasopharyngeal carcinoma have not been elucidated. Objective The present study was performed to investigate effects of GALNT14 on nasopharyngeal carcinoma cell proliferation, metastasis and cancer stem cell-like characteristics. Results GALNT14 was up-regulated in nasopharyngeal carcinoma tissues and cells. siRNA-mediated silence of GALNT14 suppressed cell proliferation and metastasis of nasopharyngeal carcinoma, and over-expression of GALNT14 promoted nasopharyngeal carcinoma cell proliferation and metastasis. The cancer stem cell-like characteristic of nasopharyngeal carcinoma was repressed by GALNT14 silence, and promoted by overexpression of GALNT14. Over-expression of SOX4 attenuated GALNT14 silence-induced suppressive effects on nasopharyngeal carcinoma cell proliferation, metastasis and self-renewal property. The in-vivo tumor growth of nasopharyngeal carcinoma was retarded by silence of GALNT14. Conclusion GALNT14 promoted the cancer stem cell-like characteristics and metastasis of nasopharyngeal carcinoma cells through upregulating SOX4, providing a potential therapeutic target for nasopharyngeal carcinoma treatment.