Cadherin-11 is inactivated due to promoter methylation and functions in colorectal cancer as a tumour suppressor

The ( , OB-cadherin) gene is a member of the cadherin family and is located on chromosome 16q22.1. Previous studies have revealed that cadherins play significant roles in the development of many human malignancies. Increasing evidence has identified as a functional tumour suppressor, which is commonly silenced by promoter methylation, but the functions of this gene in colorectal cancer (CRC) have been unclear. The expression in primary CRC tissues and cell lines was investigated by qRT-PCR, RT-PCR and immunohistochemistry. The promoter methylation status of was measured by methylation-specific PCR (MSP). Cell proliferation assay, colony formation assay, flow cytometry analysis, wound-healing assay, transwell assay and in vivo experiments were used to investigate the function of in CRC. The mechanisms of also were explored by western blots. Our study suggests that downregulation in CRC due to its promoter methylation and induced cell cycle arrest in G0/G1 phase and apoptosis, suppressing tumor cell proliferation, colony formation, migration and invasion by affecting the signaling pathway. Overall, may be considered as a functional tumour suppressor gene (TSG) in CRC, has the potential to serve as a valuable prognostic marker for colorectal cancer.