B7-H3 promotes the migration and invasion of colorectal cancer cells via regulating the actin cytoskeleton and RhoA/ROCK1/LIMK1 signaling pathway

Abstract

Abstract Aberrant expression of B7 homolog 3 protein (B7-H3) has been detected in various cancers including colorectal cancer (CRC) and implicated in modulating multiple biological functions of CRC cells. However, its role in CRC metastasis has not yet been determined. In this study, we demonstrated that B7-H3 was highly expressed in CRC tissues and positively associated with poor prognosis of CRC patients. B7-H3 knockdown significantly inhibited the migration and invasion of CRC cells. B7-H3 overexpression had the opposite effect. Moreover, we determined that B7-H3 could regulate actin cytoskeleton and the RhoA/ROCK1/LIMK1 pathway. Importantly, the BDP5290, an inhibitor of the RhoA/ROCK1/LIMK1 axis, reversed the effects of B7-H3 overexpression on actin filament accumulating, migration, and invasion of CRC cells. In sum, our study concluded that B7-H3 facilitated CRC cell actin filament accumulating, migration, and invasion through the RhoA/ROCK1/LIMK1 axis.