LRRC3B inhibits the proliferation and invasion of bladder cancer cells

Leucine-rich repeat (LRR)-containing 3B (LRRC3B) is a putative LRR-containing transmembrane protein and was down-regulated in many types of tumors. However, its expression and role in bladder cancer (BC) remains unclear. In our research, we aimed to assess the expression and function of LRRC3B in BC. Our results showed that the expression of LRRC3B was significantly reduced in BC cell lines. The in vitro experiments demonstrated that overexpression of LRRC3B inhibited the proliferation, migration and invasion of BC cells. Furthermore, in vivo xenograft tumor assay showed that LRRC3B attenuated tumor growth. Finally, LRRC3B inhibited the expression of beta-catenin, cyclin D1 and c-Myc in BC cells. Taken together, these data indicated that LRRC3B inhibited BC cell proliferation and invasion partly by interfering with Wnt/beta-catenin signaling. Therefore, these findings reveal that LRRC3B may be a potential therapeutic target for the treatment of BC.