RHBDD1 promotes proliferation, migration, invasion and EMT in renal cell carcinoma via the EGFR/AKT signaling pathway

Abstract

Renal cell carcinoma (RCC) is a common malignant tumor of the urinary system with a poor prognosis and high mortality rate. The increasing incidence of RCC poses a serious threat to human health. It is well‑documented that rhomboid domain‑containing protein 1 (RHBDD1) plays a vital role in cancer progression. The present study was designed to identify the biological functions of RHBDD1 in RCC and investigate the underlying regulatory mechanism, aiming to explore the novel molecular therapeutic targets for RCC. The protein and mRNA expression levels of RHBDD1 in normal renal tubule epithelium and human RCC cell lines were analyzed using western blotting and reverse transcription‑quantitative PCR. Cell proliferation was determined using Cell Counting Kit‑8 assays. Wound healing and Transwell assays were performed to determine cell migration and invasion, respectively. In addition, key proteins related to migration, invasion and epithelial‑mesenchymal transition (EMT), such as matrix metalloproteinase (MMP)2, MMP9, MMP13, E‑cadherin, N‑cadherin, vimentin and Slug, were analyzed using western blotting. In addition, the EGFR/AKT signaling pathway was further studied using western blotting to determine the poten‑ tial molecular mechanism. The results of the present study revealed that RHBDD1 expression levels were significantly upregulated in RCC cell lines. The knockdown of RHBDD1 inhibited cell proliferation, migration, invasion and EMT,