Thalidomide suppresses migration and invasion of colorectal cancer cells by inhibiting HOXB7‐mediated activation of the Wnt/β‐catenin signaling pathway

Abstract Heaps of studies have verified the effects of thalidomide (THA) on colorectal cancer (CRC). Howbeit, the corresponding mechanism awaits illustration, which is the foothold of this study. Following the treatment of 0, 1.94, 7.75, or 19.36 μM THA, CRC cell viability, apoptosis, migration, and invasion were evaluated by methyl tetrazolium, flow cytometry, wound‐healing, and transwell assays. Homeobox B7 (HOXB7) expression in CRC was analyzed and detected by bioinformatics analysis, quantitative real‐time PCR or western blot. After the corresponding transfection or treatment with inhibitor of catenin‐responsive transcription‐3 (iCRT‐3), abovementioned CRC cell biological behaviors as well as expression levels of HOXB7 and β‐catenin were evaluated. 7.75 and 19.36 μM THA dwindled CRC cell viability, migration, and invasion, and facilitated apoptosis. HOXB7 upregulation was detected in CRC cells, which promoted the viability, migration, invasion, and β‐catenin expression, and weakened the apoptosis of CRC cells. Also, HOXB7 upregulation counteracted the effects of THA on CRC cells. iCRT‐3 restrained β‐catenin expression, viability, migration, and invasion, whereas promoting the apoptosis of CRC cells. In addition, iCRT‐3 antagonized the effects of overexpressed HOXB7 on CRC cells. THA inhibits the migration and invasion of CRC cells, which is achieved by suppressing HOXB7‐mediated activation of Wnt/β‐catenin signaling pathway.