Visfatin is considered to be a
biomarker in various types of
cancers. However, no evidence has been reported for the direct effect of
visfatin on
osteosarcoma cell
metastasis. The aims of the present study were to investigate the influence of
visfatin on the migration and invasion of
osteosarcoma cells and clarify the underlying mechanism. The expression levels of epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) markers, as well as the transcriptional factor Snail-1, were first detected at both the
protein and
mRNA levels in U2OS
osteosarcoma cells after stimulation of
visfatin. Then the expression of NF-κB (p65) was detected by western blot analysis, and
siRNA of Snail-1 and inhibitor of NF-κB were used to investigate the effect of
visfatin. Finally, migration and invasion of the cells were detected respectively by scratch wound healing and transwell assays.
Visfatin downregulated
E-cadherin and upregulated
N-cadherin in concentration- and time-dependent manners at the
protein and
mRNA levels. The expression of Snail-1 was also upregulated. Moreover,
visfatin also promoted the nuclear translocation of the NF-κB pathway. Administration of
siRNA of Snail-1 and the inhibitor
BAY11-7082 validated the roles of Snail-1 and NF-κB in the
visfatin-induced regulation of EMT markers. Migration and invasion of U2OS
osteosarcoma cells were promoted following the application of
visfatin. These results demonstrated that
visfatin enhances the migration and invasion of
osteosarcoma cells via the NF-κB/Snail-1/EMT pathway.