BMP8A promotes malignant advancement of gastric cancer by regulating MMP2

Background Background: Gastric cancer ranks among the most prevalent classifications of cancer types globally, and it holds a bad prognosis. Bone morphogenetic protein 8A (BMP8A) has been correlated with the progression of various solid tumors; however, its specific functions in gastric cancer is not yet clearly established. We want to look into how BMP8A is expressed, what it does, and what might be causing it in gastric cancer. Methods We utilized TCGA, GEO database data, and qRT-PCR of clinical samples to look at BMP8A expression. To find out how BMP8A expression affects the clinical and pathological features of patients. We created cell lines that either knocked down or overexpressed BMP8A. We then used Colony formation, CCK-8, Wound healing, and Transwell assays to test the function of these gastric cancer cell lines. Use bioinformatics analysis and cellular experiments to find possible downstream targets that will help with future research. Results In gastric cancer tissues, BMP8A levels are much higher. They are also linked to a higher pathological grade, a more advanced tumor staging, and a shorter overall survival time. The results of the phenotypic assay showed that knocking down BMP8A slows down the growth, movement, and invasion in gastric cancer cells, while overexpressing it speeds these processes up. Mechanistically, BMP8A was identified to enhance the matrix metalloproteinase 2 (MMP-2) levels, and the pro-tumorigenic effects elicited by BMP8A overexpression could be partially alleviated through the application of specific MMP-2 inhibitors.