NLRP12 Deregulation Is Associated With The Proliferation?Migration And Drug-resistance In Colorectal Cancer

AIM: To investigate the role of inflammasome NLRP12 in the tumorigenesis of colorectal cancer and drug-resistance properties of colorectal cancer cell lines.METHODS: In our study,we investigated NLRP12 protein expression in 57 colorectal cancer(CRC)tissue specimens and surrounding tissues by immunohistochemical analysis.Western blotting and quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction(QRT-PCR)were used to detect the protein and mRNA expression of NLRP12 in CRC tissues and cells.Later NLRP12 siRNA was transfected into HCT116 cells to discover the effect of NLRP12 on proliferation,migration and drug-resistance in colorectal cancer cells in vitro.RESULTS: NLRP12 protein levels were decreased in colorectal cancer tissues compared to surrounding tissues.This decrement in NLRP12 protein levels in CRC tissues was significantly associated with the tumor size,TNM stages and Dukes stages of colorectal cancer.Furthermore,downregulation of NLRP12 in HCT116 cells promoted cells growth and migration.And these HCT116 cells were shown to be more resistant to drug cisplatin.NLRP12 negatively regulated the expression of p-ERK and GLI1 in HCT116 cells,and restraining MAPK pathway by using the MEK inhibitor U0126 blocked the effect of NLRP12 on GLI1.Conclusion: NLRP12 may play an important role in the tumorigenesis of colorectal cancer.Thus,NLRP12 may be a potential marker to treat colorectal cancers.Core tip: We reported the expression of NLRP12 in colorectal cancer tissues and surrounding normal tissues in 57 patients.We also studied the association between expression of NLRP12 and the clinicopathological factors.Treatment with NLRP12 siRNA enhanced the proliferation,migration and drug-resistance of colorectal cancer cells.NLRP12 regulated GLI1 activity via MAPK signaling pathway.This study revealed NLRP12 may be a novel marker to cure colorectal cancer.