FAM3B mRNA has been predicted to have multiple splicing forms. Its secretory form PANDER is decreased in gastric cancers with high invasiveness and metastasis. Here we found that its non-secretory form FAM3B-258 was highly expressed in most colon cancer cell lines and colorectal adenocarcinoma tissues but not hepatocellular carcinoma, lung carcinoma and pancreatic adenocarcinoma cell lines. Elevation of FAM3B-258 was associated with poor cancer cell differentiation. Stable overexpression of FAM3B-258 in colon cancer cells downregulated adhesion proteins, upregulated Slug and Cdc42, promoted cell migration and invasion in vitro and metastasis in nude mice. Slug mediated FAM3B-258-induced downregulation of adhesion molecules, upregulation of Cdc42, and invasion of colon cancer cells. The expression of FAM3B-258 in human colorectal adenocarcinomas was positively correlated with Slug. These results suggest that FAM3B-258 promotes colon cancer cell invasion and metastasis through upregulation of Slug.
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