[Rac subfamily expression and activity in gastrointestinal cancer cell lines].
OBJECTIVE
To investigate the significance of Rac subfamily members in the gastrointestinal carcinogenesis and progression.


METHODS
The mRNA expression of Rac1, Rac2 and Rac3 in 12 kinds of gastrointestinal cancer cell lines was examined by semi-quantitative RT-PCR. The activities of Rac1 protein in 5 kinds of gastric cancer cell lines were tested by pull-down assay.


RESULTS
Compared with the normal gastric mucosa and intestinal epithelial cell line, the mRNA expression of Rac1 and Rac3 was up-regulated in most of gastrointestinal cancer cell lines. The activities of Rac1 protein increased markedly in gastric cancer cell lines.


CONCLUSIONS
The increased mRNA expression of Rac1 and Rac3 in gastrointestinal cancer cell lines and the abnormal activation of Rac1 protein in gastric cancer cell lines might be correlated with the carcinogenesis of gastrointestinal cancer.
Institute of Digestive Diseases, Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an 710032, China.
Yang-lin
YL
Pan
Feng
F
Bi
Na
N
Liu
Jing-ping
JP
Du
Hai-ping
HP
Jiang
Yan
Y
Xue
Dai-ming
DM
Fan
D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D005770:Gastrointestinal Neoplasms / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000032:analysis; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction; D020744:rac GTP-Binding Proteins / Q000235:genetics*; D020830:rac1 GTP-Binding Protein / Q000032:analysis / Q000235:genetics*; D000097766:RAC2 GTP-Binding Protein
D012333:RNA, Messenger; D020744:rac GTP-Binding Proteins; D020830:rac1 GTP-Binding Protein; D000097766:RAC2 GTP-Binding Protein; C411563:RAC3 protein, human