Objective:To investigate the effect of prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) on the invasion ability of ovarian cancer SKOV3 cell via upregulating the receptor of stromal cell-derived factor-1 (chemokine receptor 4,CXCR4). Methods:SKOV3 cells were treated with PGE2,EP1 receptor agonist,CXCR4 antagonist,EP1 receptor antagonist,protein kinase C (PKC) inhibitor and Ca2+ chelating agent. Real-time PCR,Western Blot and Transwell were performed to detect the levels of CXCR4 mRNA and CXCR4 protein as well as the invasion ability in SKOV3 cells. Results:The mRNA level of CXCR4 increased by 60.33% (P <0.01),while the level of CXCR4 protein increased by 122.88% (P < 0.01),and the invasion ability of SKOV3 cells increased by 112.24% (P < 0.01) after treated with 5 μmol/L PGE2. The invasion ability of SKOV3 cells decreased by 54.00% (P < 0.05) after treated with 10 μmol/L CXCR4 antagonist AMD3465 compared with the cells treated with PGE2. When treated with 5 μmol/L EP1 receptor agonist 17-PT-PGE2,the mRNA level of CXCR4 increased by 47.90 % (P <0.01),the level of CXCR4 protein increased 85.56% (P < 0.05),and the invasion ability of SKOV3 cells increased by 108.79% (P < 0.01). The protein level decreased by 54.86% (P < 0.05) and the invasion ability of SKOV3 cells decreased by 65.37% (P < 0.05) after treated with 10 μmol/L EP1 receptor antagonist sc-51322 compared with the cells treated with PGE2. When treated with 5 μmol/L PKC inhibitor BIS-1 and 10 μmol/L Ca2+ chelating agent BAPTA-AM,the protein levels of CXCR4 were decreased by 57.38%(P < 0.05) and 56.14% (P < 0.05) respectively,and the invasion ability of SKOV3 cells decreased by 52.63% (P < 0.05) and 55.26% (P < 0.05) respectively compared with the cells treated with 17-PT-PGE2. Conclusion:PGE2 might up-regulate the expression level of CXCR4 through EP1 receptor which could be partly related to the Gαq/Ca2+/PKC signaling pathway in ovarian cancer SKOV3 cells,and promote the tumor cells invasion.