ENO1 Acts as a Prognostic Biomarker Candidate and Promotes Tumor Growth and Migration Ability Through the Regulation of Rab1A in Colorectal Cancer

Background: Colorectal carcinoma (CRC) is one of the most common malignancies with a dismal 5-year survival rate. The glycolytic enzyme alpha-enolase (ENO1) is overexpressed in multiple cancers and is involved in tumor cell proliferation and metastasis. However, its clinical significance, biological role, and underlying molecular mechanisms in CRC are still unclear. The aim of the present study was to investigate the potential role of ENO1 in the initiation and development of CRC. Patients and methods: The in situ expression of ENO1 in CRC and adjacent normal tissues was examined by immunohistochemistry. The effects of ENO1 on the in vitro proliferation and migration of CRC cell lines were investigated by MTT, colony formation, and Transwell assays. Finally, the in vivo tumorigenic capacity of ENO1 was assessed in a mouse model. Results: ENO1 was overexpressed in CRC tissues and significantly correlated with the clinicopathological parameters. Furthermore, Rab1A was also overexpressed in CRC tissues and was positively correlated to that of ENO1. The high expression levels of both ENO1 and Rab1A led to significantly worse prognosis of CRC patients compared to either alone. Furthermore, knockdown of ENO1 significantly inhibited CRC cells proliferation and migration in vitro and reduced xenograft growth in vivo via the concomitant downregulation of Rab1A. Conclusion: The ENO1/Rab1A signaling axis is involved in CRC progression and is a potential biomarker for the treatment of CRC.