L-Plastin Promotes Gastric Cancer Growth and Metastasis in a Helicobacter pylori cagA -ERK-SP1-Dependent Manner

Actin cytoskeleton dynamic rearrangement is required for tumor cell metastasis and is a key characteristic of ( )-infected host cells. Actin cytoskeleton modulation is coordinated by multiple actin-binding proteins (ABP). Through Kyoto encyclopedia of gene and genomes database, GEPIA website, and real-time PCR data, we found that infection significantly induced L-plastin, a key ABP, in gastric cancer cells. We further explored the regulation and function of L-plastin in -associated gastric cancer and found that, mechanistically, infection induced gastric cancer cells to express L-plastin via -activated ERK signaling pathway to mediate SP1 binding to L-plastin promoter. Moreover, this increased L-plastin promoted gastric cancer cell proliferation and migration and facilitated the growth and metastasis of gastric cancer . Finally, we detected the expression pattern of L-plastin in gastric cancer tissues, and found that L-plastin was increased in gastric cancer tissues and that this increase of L-plastin positively correlated with infection status. Overall, our results elucidate a novel mechanism of L-plastin expression induced by , and a new function of L-plastin-facilitated growth and metastasis of gastric cancer, and thereby implicating L-plastin as a potential therapeutic target against gastric cancer. IMPLICATIONS: Our results elucidate a novel mechanism of L-plastin expression induced by in gastric cancer, and a new function of L-plastin-facilitated gastric cancer growth and metastasis, implicating L-plastin as a potential therapeutic target against gastric cancer.