Knockdown of TMEM45B inhibits cell proliferation and invasion in gastric cancer

Transmembrane protein 45B (TMEM45B), belonging to the TMEM family, has been found abnormally expressed in several types of tumors and can play an important role in tumorigenesis. However, the role of TMEM45B in gastric cancer remains unclear. Therefore, the current study was designed to examine the effects of TMEM45B on gastric cancer cell proliferation, migration and invasion in vitro, and to explore the potential molecular mechanisms. The presented study is the first demonstration that TMEM45B was highly expressed in human gastric cancer tissues and cell lines. In addition, knockdown of TMEM45B significantly inhibited cell proliferation, migration/invasion and EMT phenotype in gastric cancer cells. Furthermore, knockdown of TMEM45B efficiently inhibited the expression of p-JAK2 and p-STAT3 in gastric cancer cells. Taken together, our findings indicate that knockdown of TMEM45B suppresses the proliferation, migration and invasion of gastric cancer cells, at least partly, via the inhibition of JAK2/STAT3 signaling pathway. Therefore, TMEM45B may be a new potent therapeutic molecule for the treatment of gastric cancer.