OCT4 mRNA was overexpressed in effusions compared to solid specimens (p = 0.046), whereas SOX9 was overexpressed in the ovarian tumors compared to effusions and solid metastases (p = 0.003).
Circulating tumor cells (CTCs) with epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT) phenotypes might be related to tumor progression while OCT4 expression is involved in tumor metastasis and poor prognosis.
A total of 121 patients were retrospectively selected between May 2010 and March 2013 to investigate the relationship between POU5F1/Oct-4 expression in breast cancer tissues and non-sentinel lymph node (non-SLN) metastases and to validate the Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center (MSKCC) nomogram.
We evaluated the metastatic phenotype of OCT4-silenced SW620 cells using standard migration and invasion assays in vitro and the commonly used mouse model for experimental metastases in vivo.
Expression of Oct4 in tumorospheres might indicate the presence of a population of ECSCs and its expression in xenograft tumors suggests that Oct4 is also associated with tumor metastasis.
Oct-3/4 can up-regulate fibroblast growth factor-4 and matrix metalloproteinase-2 (MMP-2), MMP-9, and MMP-13 production, which may contribute to tumor metastasis.