Upregulation of JMJD2A promotes migration and invasion in bladder cancer through regulation of SLUG.

Jumonji domain‑containing protein 2A (JMJD2A) has been identified to promote cell proliferation in bladder cancer; however, it remains undetermined whether JMJD2A regulates cell migration and invasion in bladder cancer. The aim of the present study was to further investigate the roles of JMJD2A in bladder cancer. The expression levels of JMJD2A in bladder cancer tissues and cell lines were established by RT‑qPCR assays and western blot analysis. Moreover, by gain‑ and loss‑of‑function assays, the effects of JMJD2A on migration and invasion as well as proliferation were investigated in bladder cancer cells. The results revealed that the expression level of JMJD2A was significantly upregulated in bladder cancer tissues and cell lines compared to adjacent non‑tumor tissues and a human immortalized bladder urothelial cell line. Kaplan‑Meier survival analysis indicated that patients with high JMJD2A expression level had shorter overall survival. Moreover, JMJD2A could promote cell migration and invasion by facilitating epithelial‑mesenchymal transition (EMT) in bladder cancer. In addition, it was determined that JMJD2A promoted EMT through regulation of SLUG expression. Collectively, our findings revealed that JMJD2A may act as an oncogene and participate in bladder cancer progression, which provides a promising therapeutic strategy for patients with bladder cancer.