Objective      To investigate the influence of interfering MSX2 on epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) and mesenchymal-epithelial transition (MET) of pancreatic cancer PANC-1 cells with high metastatic ability

strong drug resistance and strong mesenchymal characteristics.       Methods      MSX2 shRNA was used to transfect PANC-1 cells with Lipofectamine 2000. Real-time RT-PCR and Western blotting were used to observe the MSX2

E-cadherin

and vimentin expression on gene and protein levels. CCK-8 assay was applied to assess the influence of MSX2 shRNA on cell growth. Cell invasion and metastasis capability was detected by wound scratch assay and Transwell assay. The expression of EMT-related transcription factors

twist snail

slug

and zeb1

was detected by RT-PCR.        Results      MSX2-specific shRNA reduced invasion

metastasis and proliferation of PANC-1 cells (P0.05)

and increased E-cadherin expression and decreased vimentin expression on gene and protein levels. MSX2 down-regulated cells changed morphology to cobblestone-like appearance

and got much more closely connected. RT-PCR found that the expression of twist and snail decreased (P0.05)

while that of slug and zeb1 had no difference (P0.05) after interference of MSX2.         Conclusion      Down-regulation of MSX2 can reverse EMT

induce MET

and reduce invasion

metastasis and proliferation of PANC1 cells

which may involves transcription factor twist and snail.