title: Identification of genes responsible for cell migration by a library of randomized ribozymes.
abstract: Several genes appear to be associated with metastasis, but the underlying mechanisms of metastasis still remain unclear. In this study, we used a library of randomized ribozymes to identify, by inactivation of transcripts, genes involved in cell migration that is an essential aspect of metastasis. Using a chemotaxis assay, the ribozymes that inhibited cell migration were selected from the library. Among such ribozymes, we found two ribozymes that targeted and cleaved ROCK1 mRNA at independent sites. ROCK1 and ROCK2 are Rho kinases, and it has been demonstrated that they regulate the organization of the actin cytoskeleton and are responsible for cell motility and cytokinesis. The two ribozymes that specifically cleaved ROCK1 mRNA inhibited both the migration and invasion of invasive HT1080 fibrosarcoma, but neither had any effect on cell proliferation. Our analysis indicates that the ribozymes toward ROCK1 can block invasive activity but not the proliferation of HT1080 cells without having any effect on expression of ROCK2. Ribozymes identified in this study, including the ribozymes against ROCK1, might be useful in understanding the mechanisms of cell migration and metastasis.
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry and Biotechnology, School of Engineering, The University of Tokyo, Hongo, Tokyo 113-8656, Japan.
authors.forename: Eigo
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Suyama
authors.forename: Hiroaki
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Kawasaki
authors.forename: Tatsuhiko
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Kasaoka
authors.forename: Kazunari
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Taira
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001483:Base Sequence; D002633:Chemotaxis; D005354:Fibrosarcoma; D015723:Gene Library; D006801:Humans; D047908:Intracellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins; D008546:Melanoma, Experimental; D051379:Mice; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D009690:Nucleic Acid Conformation; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D017346:Protein Serine-Threonine Kinases / Q000235:genetics; D016337:RNA, Catalytic / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics*; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics; D013698:Templates, Genetic; D014158:Transcription, Genetic; D014162:Transfection; D014407:Tumor Cells, Cultured; D054460:rho-Associated Kinases
chemical_list: D047908:Intracellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins; D016337:RNA, Catalytic; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D017346:Protein Serine-Threonine Kinases; C515851:ROCK1 protein, human; C515852:ROCK2 protein, human; C515854:Rock1 protein, mouse; C515855:Rock2 protein, mouse; D054460:rho-Associated Kinases