Dickkopf-1 induces apoptosis in the JEG3 and BeWo trophoblast tumor cell lines through the mitochondrial apoptosis pathway

Gestational choriocarcinoma is a high-grade malignant tumor. In this study, the effects of Dickkopf-1 (DKK1) on a human trophoblast cell line was examined by using both in vitro and in vivo assays. DKK1 was observed to induce apoptosis and inhibit proliferation in JEG3 and BeWo cells. Moreover, DKK1 suppressed tumor growth in established xenograft tumor models. In western blot assays, DKK1 was found to inhibit the Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway and active the mitochondrial apoptosis pathway. Overall, our study demonstrated the antitumor activity of DKK1 towards the JEG3 and BeWo cells. Valuable insight into the mechanisms mediated by DKK1 was obtained, potentially leading to the identification of novel treatments for gestational choriocarcinoma.