GGT5 facilitates migration and invasion through the induction of epithelial–mesenchymal transformation in gastric cancer

Abstract

Abstract Background Gamma-glutamyltransferase 5 (GGT5), one of the two members in the GGT family (GGT1 and GGT5), plays a crucial role in oxidative regulation, inflammation promotion, and drug metabolism. Particularly in the tumorigenesis of various cancers, its significance has been recognized. Nevertheless, GGT5’s role in gastric cancer (GC) remains ambiguous. This study delves into the function and prognostic significance of GGT5 in GC through a series of in vitro experiments. Methods Employing online bioinformatics analysis tools such as The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA), Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO), Kaplan–Meier plotter, and cBioPortal, we explored GGT5 characteristics and functions in GC. This encompassed aberrant expression, prognostic value, genomic alterations and mutations, immune cell infiltration, and associated signaling pathways. Immunohistochemistry was conducted to assess GGT5 expression in GC and adjacent normal tissues. Subsequently, univariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses were applied to investigate the associations between GGT5 and clinical characteristics. CCK8, wound healing, and migration assays were utilized to evaluate the impact of GGT5 on cell viability and migration. Additionally, Gene Set Enrichment Analysis (GSEA) and Western blot analysis were performed to scrutinize the activity of the epithelial–mesenchymal transformation (EMT) signaling pathway under GGT5 regulation. Results GGT5 exhibits upregulation in gastric cancer, with its overexpression significantly linked to histological differentiation in GC patients (P < 0.05). Multivariate analysis indicates that elevated GGT5 expression is an independent risk factor associated with poorer overall survival in gastric cancer patients (P < 0.05). In vitro experiments reveal that downregulation of GGT5 hampers the proliferation and migration of GC cell lines. Finally, GSEA using TCGA data highlights a significant correlation between GGT5 expression and genes associated with EMT, a finding further confirmed by Western blot analysis. Conclusions GGT5 emerges as a promising prognostic biomarker and potential therapeutic target for GC.