Aminoacylase 1 (ACY1) is important for regulating the proliferation of numerous types of
cancer. However, the expression and mechanisms underlying the function of ACY1 in
colorectal cancer remain unclear. In order to investigate the expression and function of ACY1 in
colorectal cancer,
tumor tissue and blood samples were collected for analysis from 132 patients diagnosed with
colorectal cancer. Reverse transcription-quantitative polymerase chain reaction analysis and western blotting identified significantly increased expression of ACY1
mRNA in
colorectal tumor tissue (P<0.05 vs. adjacent normal tissue) and notably increased ACY1
protein levels. This ACY1
mRNA expression was found to be positively correlated with
tumor stage. In addition, plasma ACY1 concentration was increased in patients with
colorectal cancer compared with healthy controls. Furthermore, in vitro knockdown of ACY1 in human
colorectal cancer HT-29 cells was shown to inhibit proliferation and increase apoptosis. This effect was found to be associated with the activation of ERK1 and TGF-β1 signaling. In conclusion, the results of the present study suggest that ACY1 promotes
tumor progression, and thus may be a potential target for the diagnosis and treatment of
colorectal cancer.