Annexin A2 inhibition suppresses ovarian cancer progression via regulating β-catenin/EMT

Annexin A2 is a member of the Annexin family that acts as a Ca2+-dependent phospholipid and membrane binding protein, which is associated with the survival and spread of multiple neoplasms. However, the function of Annexin A2 in ovarian cancer progression remains unclear. In this study, we aimed to investigate the role and underlying molecular mechanism of Annexin A2 in cell proliferation and invasion in ovarian cancer. We found that the mRNA expression of Annexin A2 was upregulated in ovarian cancer tissues and cell lines. In the loss-of-function of Annexin A2, beta-catenin was indicated to be significantly suppressed and EMT constrained. Moreover, cell proliferation and invasion were both markedly inhibited by the downregulation of Annexin A2. Additionally, the overexpression of beta-catenin obviously reversed the effect of Annexin A2 on EMT, and cell proliferation and invasion, indicating that Annexin A2 suppression regulated EMT through controlling beta-catenin. Taken together, this study showed that Annexin A2 inhibition suppresses proliferation and invasion in ovarian cancer via beta-catenin/EMT, proposing the potential role of Annexin A2 in the prevention and treatment of ovarian cancer.