title: Tenascin-C signaling through induction of 14-3-3 tau.
abstract: We searched by a cDNA subtraction screen for differentially expressed transcripts in MCF-7 mammary carcinoma cells grown on tenascin-C versus fibronectin. On tenascin-C, cells had irregular shapes with many processes, whereas on fibronectin they were flat with a cobble stone-like appearance. We found elevated levels of 14-3-3 tau transcripts and protein in cells grown on tenascin-C. To investigate the consequences of an increased level of this phospho-serine/threonine-binding adaptor protein, we transfected MCF-7 cells with a construct encoding full-length 14-3-3 tau protein and selected clones with the highest expression levels. The morphology of these cells on tenascin-C was flat, resembling that of cells on fibronectin. This was reflected by a similar pattern of F-actin staining on either substratum. Furthermore, the growth rate on tenascin-C was increased compared with the parental cells. After transient transfection of HT1080 fibrosarcoma and T98G glioblastoma cells with 14-3-3 tau, only the 14-3-3 tau-expressing cells were able to adhere and survive on tenascin-C, whereas all cells adhered well on fibronectin. Therefore, we postulate that tenascin-C promotes the growth of tumor cells by causing an increase in the expression of 14-3-3 tau, which in turn has a positive effect on tumor cell adhesion and growth.
authors.affiliation: Friedrich Miescher Institute, Novartis Forschungsstiftung, CH-4002 Basel, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Doris
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Martin
authors.forename: Marianne
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Brown-Luedi
authors.forename: Ruth
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Chiquet-Ehrismann
mesh_terms: D048948:14-3-3 Proteins; D017209:Apoptosis / Q000187:drug effects / Q000235:genetics; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000378:metabolism*; D002277:Carcinoma / Q000378:metabolism*; D002448:Cell Adhesion / Q000187:drug effects / Q000235:genetics*; D002455:Cell Division / Q000187:drug effects / Q000235:genetics*; D002470:Cell Survival / Q000187:drug effects / Q000235:genetics; D005260:Female; D005353:Fibronectins / Q000378:metabolism / Q000494:pharmacology; D015972:Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic / Q000187:drug effects / Q000235:genetics*; D005987:Glyceraldehyde-3-Phosphate Dehydrogenases / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D009362:Neoplasm Metastasis; D015398:Signal Transduction / Q000187:drug effects / Q000235:genetics; D019063:Tenascin / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000494:pharmacology; D014407:Tumor Cells, Cultured; D014446:Tyrosine 3-Monooxygenase / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000235:genetics
chemical_list: D048948:14-3-3 Proteins; D005353:Fibronectins; D019063:Tenascin; D014446:Tyrosine 3-Monooxygenase; D005987:Glyceraldehyde-3-Phosphate Dehydrogenases