Expression of the carcinoembryonic antigen gene is inhibited by SOX9 in human colon carcinoma cells

The human carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) is overexpressed in many types of human cancers and is commonly used as a clinical marker. In colon cancer, this overexpression protects cells against apoptosis and contributes to carcinogenesis. Therefore, CEA-expressing cells as well as CEA expression itself constitute potential therapeutic targets. In this report, we show that the transcription factor SOX9 down-regulates CEA gene expression and, as a probable consequence, induces apoptosis in the human colon carcinoma cell line HT29Cl.16E.