Enhancer of Zeste homolog 2 (EZH2) induces epithelial-mesenchymal transition in endometriosis.

ABSTRACT: EZH2, a subunit of the polycomb repressive complex 2 (PRC2) catalyzing trimethylation of histone H3 lysine 27 (H3K27), induces epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) in cancers. However, whether EZH2 regulates EMT in endometriosis is unclear. Here, we show that EZH2 expression, along with its associated PRC2 proteins, is significantly elevated in ectopic and eutopic endometrium from women with endometriosis as compared with control endometrium. EZH2 knockdown or inhibition restored the epithelial phenotypes of endometriotic epithelial cells, concomitant with the upregulation of E-cadherin and downregulation of vimentin and transcription factors (Snail and Slug) as well as reduced cellular migratory and invasive propensity. Conversely, overexpression of EZH2 induced the expression of Snail

SUBMITTER: Zhang Q 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5533797 | biostudies-literature | 2017 Jul

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature