Abstract
BACKGROUND/AIM: Glutathione peroxidases (GPXs) are crucial antioxidant enzymes, counteracting reactive oxygen species (ROS). GPX overexpression promotes proliferation and invasion in cancer cells. Glutathione peroxidase-1 (GPX1), the most abundant isoform, contributes to invasion, migration, cisplatin resistance, and proliferation in various cancers. Nuclear factor-kappa B (NF-[Formula: see text]B) participates in cell proliferation, apoptosis, and tumor progression. The inhibition of NF-[Formula: see text]B expression reduces the malignancy of esophageal squamous cell carcinoma. This study aimed to explore the GPX1 and NF-[Formula: see text]B signaling pathways and their correlation with gastric cancer cell proliferation and invasion. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Cell culture, complementary DNA microarray analysis, western blotting, reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction, zymography, 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide assay, GPX1 knock-down with short hairpin RNA (shRNA), standard two-chamber invasion assay, chromatin immunoprecipitation assay. RESULTS: Hepatocyte growth factor (HGF) up-regulated GPX1 expression in gastric cancer cells. The NF-[Formula: see text]B inhibitor, pyrrolidine dithiocarbamate down-regulated HGF-induced GPX1 protein levels. Furthermore, NF-[Formula: see text]B and urokinase-type plasminogen activators were down-regulated in GPX1-shRNA-treated cells. Treatment with an Akt pathway inhibitor (LY294002) led to the down-regulation of GPX1 and NF-[Formula: see text]B gastric cancer cells. GPX1 knockdown resulted in decreased HGF-mediated in vitro cell proliferation and invasion. The study identified the putative binding site of the GPX1 promoter containing the NF-[Formula: see text]B binding site, confirmed through chromatin immunoprecipitation. CONCLUSION: HGF induced GPX1 expression through the NF-[Formula: see text]B and Akt pathways, suggesting a central role in gastric cell proliferation and invasion. Hence, GPX1 emerges as a potential therapeutic target for gastric cancer.