GPD1L Suppresses Colon Adenocarcinoma Via Repressing TGFβ1/EMT

Abstract Colon adenocarcinoma is one of the most prevalent malignant tumors in human beings. Hence, the identification of valuable biomarkers and therapeutic targets is vital for improved treatment and patient outcomes. The role of glycerol-3-phosphate dehydrogenase 1-like (GPD1L) in several tumors has been achieved in recent years. However, the underlying mechanisms of GPD1L in colon adenocarcinoma remain elusive. In this study, we identified that GPD1L was associated with better prognosis in colon adenocarcinoma patients using gene expression omnibus (GEO) and the cancer genome atlas (TCGA) database. In addition, knockdown of GPD1L promoted the proliferation, migration and invasion and reversed by re-expression GPD1L in colon adenocarcinoma cells in vitro. According to gene set enrichment analysis (GSEA), GPD1L is closely correlated with transforming growth factor-β (TGFβ) signaling pathway in colon adenocarcinoma. Moreover, GPD1L downregulates epithelial mesenchymal transition (EMT) marker proteins via TGFβ1 due to Western blot analysis. These findings demonstrate that GPD1L inhibits the growth of colon adenocarcinoma cells by inhibiting EMT induced by TGFβ1. GPD1L may be a promising molecular target for the treatment of colon adenocarcinoma patients.