ATF3 inhibits the growth and stem cells-like features of SW620 colorectal cancer cells in vitro

Abstract

Background and objective: Activating transcription factor 3 (ATF3) plays a crucial role in regulating tumor development depending on the cellular context or cancer cell type. However, the effect of ATF3 on stem cells-like features in colorectal cancer (CRC) has yet to be elaborated. Methods: In this study, we overexpressed ATF3 in SW620 CRC cells to investigate its effects on stem cells-like features. Results: Our results indicated that overexpressing ATF3 inhibited the proliferation, invasion, migration, and sphere formation capacity of SW620 CRC cells. ATF3 overexpression also decreased the size of tumorspheres and reduced expression of the cancer stem cell markers CD44 and CD133 in SW620 cells. Conclusion: In summary, our study revealed that ATF3 suppresses CRC growth and stem cells-like features. ATF3 is considered a potential target in CRC therapy.