THBS2 promotes cell migration and invasion in colorectal cancer via modulating Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is the most common human digestive malignancy with a poor prognosis; the pathophysiology of colon cancer involves multiple linkages of regulatory networks. Recently, thrombospondin 2 (THBS2) has been extensively studied for its role in cancer progression. In this study, we evaluated the expression of THBS2 in CRC tissues and studied the possible mechanism by which THBS2 regulates CRC progression. Our results showed that the upregulation of THBS2 in CRC tissues and CRC cell lines and high expression of THBS2 was correlated with poor overall survival. The in vitro experimental data showed that THBS2 overexpression promoted CRC cell growth, invasion, and migration, while THBS2 inhibition exerted tumor-suppressive actions on CRC cells. THBS2 knockdown suppressed the activity of Wnt/β-catenin signaling. Collectively, the results implied that THBS2 exerted promotional effects on CRC cell proliferation, invasion, and migration, partly by modulating the Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway.