title: Analysis of invasion-metastasis mechanism in pancreatic cancer: involvement of tight junction transmembrane protein occludin and MEK/ERK signal transduction pathway in cancer cell dissociation.
abstract: Mitogen-activated protein kinase kinase 2 (MEK2) was detected as an invasion-metastasis related factor between highly invasive (PC-1.0) and weakly invasive (PC-1) pancreatic cancer cell lines in our previous study. On the other hand, tight junction (TJ) was found to be correlated with carcino-genesis and tumor development. In this study, the expressions and correlation of TJ transmembrane protein occludin and MEK/extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) signaling pathway were analyzed to clarify the regulatory mechanism of cell dissociation in pancreatic cancer cells. Two hamster (PC-1.0 and PC-1) and human (AsPC-1 and CAPAN-2) pancreatic cancer cell lines were analyzed immunocytochemically with anti-occludin, phosphorylated MEK1/2 (p-MEK1/2), phosphorylated ERK1/2 (p-ERK1/2) antibodies. MEK1/2 inhibitor U0126 significantly induced the expression of occludin at the cell-cell junction and substantially suppressed the p-MEK1/2 and p-ERK1/2 expressions in PC-1.0 and AsPC-1 cells. In contrast, dissociation factor (DF) treatment obviously disrupted the occludin expressions at the sites of cell-cell junction and markedly induced the p-MEK1/2 and p-ERK1/2 expressions in PC-1 and CAPAN-2 cells. In addition, occludin expressions at cell-cell junction were restored and p-MEK1/2 and p-ERK1/2 expressions were suppressed by subsequent U0126-treatment in DF treated PC-1 and CAPAN-2 cells. Correspondingly, light microscopic images showed that DF induced the dissociation of cell island-like colonies in PC-1 and CAPAN-2 cells, and U0126-treatment induced cell aggregation in these pancreatic cancer cells. Occludin is involved in the cell dissociation in pancreatic cancer cells. Moreover, MEK/ERK signaling pathway probably regulates the cell dissociation status of pancreatic cancer through influencing the intracellular localization and expression of occludin.
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery II, Kumamoto University Medical School, Kumamoto, Japan.
authors.forename: Xiaodong
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Tan
authors.forename: Yasuhiro
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Tamori
authors.forename: Hiroshi
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Egami
authors.forename: Shinji
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Ishikawa
authors.forename: Takashi
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Kurizaki
authors.forename: Eiji
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Takai
authors.forename: Masahiko
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Hirota
authors.forename: Michio
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ogawa
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002070:Butadienes / Q000494:pharmacology; D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D006224:Cricetinae; D048049:Extracellular Signal-Regulated MAP Kinases / Q000378:metabolism; D015972:Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic; D006801:Humans; D020935:MAP Kinase Signaling System; D008565:Membrane Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D019950:Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase 1 / Q000378:metabolism; D009362:Neoplasm Metastasis / Q000473:pathology*; D009570:Nitriles / Q000494:pharmacology; D062793:Occludin; D010190:Pancreatic Neoplasms / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology*; D019108:Tight Junctions / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D002070:Butadienes; D008565:Membrane Proteins; D009570:Nitriles; C568985:OCLN protein, human; D062793:Occludin; C113580:U 0126; D048049:Extracellular Signal-Regulated MAP Kinases; D019950:Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase 1