CDCA2 acts as an oncogene and induces proliferation of clear cell renal cell carcinoma cells

Cell division cycle-associated 2 (CDCA2) plays an important role in regulating chromosome structure during mitosis. It is highly expressed in oral squamous cell carcinoma, neuroblastoma and lung adenocarcinoma, and its upregulation is positively associated with tumor progression. However, the expression, biological function and underlying mechanisms of the role of CDCA2 in clear cell renal cell carcinoma (ccRCC) remain poorly understood. In the present study, CDCA2 was demonstrated to be upregulated in ccRCC tissues compared with normal kidney tissue, where higher expression was generally associated with the degree of malignancy. Small interfering RNA-mediated knockdown of CDCA2 expression inhibited the viability and proliferation of 786-O and CAKI-1 cells, as measured by an MTT assay, colony formation assay and flow cytometry. Furthermore, western blot analysis suggested that CDCA2 regulates cell proliferation through the cell cycle-associated proteins cyclin D1 and cyclin dependent kinase 4, and the apoptotic protein Bcl-2. In conclusion, the present study indicated that CDCA2 may be an important factor in ccRCC progression and could be a potential therapeutic target in this disease.