Downregulation of ANXA2 suppresses trophoblast cell invasion and migration through β-catenin pathway in preeclampsia.

Preeclampsia (PE) is a multisystem progressive disease unique to pregnancy, the pathogenesis of PE is thought to be linked to inadequate trophoblast invasion. Annexin a2 (ANXA2) has been found to be closely related to tumor metastasis and it may be involved in trophoblast invasion. Evidence from translational oncology research indicates that ANXA2 overexpression drives metastatic progression in malignancies via canonical Wnt/β-catenin pathway activation, particularly through stabilization of cytoplasmic β-catenin and subsequent nuclear translocation. The Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway is an important pathway in placental implantation and embryonic development. This study aims to elucidate the role of ANXA2 in the progression of PE. ANXA2 expression in PE placentas was analyzed using Western blotting and immunohistochemistry. The cell proliferation, invasion, and migration were assessed using MTT assay, transwell, and wound healing assays. Our findings indicate a significant reduction in ANXA2 expression in the placentas of PE patients compared to controls. ANXA2 knockdown in HTR-8/SVneo cells resulted in decreased cell proliferation, invasion, and migration. Conversely, overexpression of ANXA2 enhanced these cellular functions. Furthermore, knockdown of ANXA2 led to suppression of the β-catenin signaling pathway through the modulation of GSK-3β expression. The downregulation of ANXA2 contributes significantly to the pathogenesis of PE by impairing trophoblast invasion and migration via inhibition of the β-catenin signaling pathway. These findings highlight the critical role of ANXA2 in the development of PE and suggest that targeting ANXA2-related pathways may offer novel therapeutic avenues for the management of this disorder.