title: HOXA1 is required for E-cadherin-dependent anchorage-independent survival of human mammary carcinoma cells.
abstract: Forced expression of HOXA1 is sufficient to stimulate oncogenic transformation of immortalized human mammary epithelial cells and subsequent tumor formation. We report here that the expression and transcriptional activity of HOXA1 are increased in mammary carcinoma cells at full confluence. This confluence-dependent expression of HOXA1 was abrogated by incubation of cells with EGTA to produce loss of intercellular contact and rescued by extracellular addition of Ca2+. Increased HOXA1 expression at full confluence was prevented by an E-cadherin function-blocking antibody and attachment of non-confluent cells to a substrate by homophilic ligation of E-cadherin increased HOXA1 expression. E-cadherin-directed signaling increased HOXA1 expression through Rac1. Increased HOXA1 expression consequent to E-cadherin-activated signaling decreased apoptotic cell death and was required for E-cadherin-dependent anchorage-independent proliferation of human mammary carcinoma cells. HOXA1 is therefore a downstream effector of E-cadherin-directed signaling required for anchorage-independent proliferation of mammary carcinoma cells.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine and Institute of Molecular and Cell Biology, National University of Singapore, 30 Medical Dr., Singapore 117609, Republic of Singapore.
authors.forename: Xin
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: B Starling
authors.initials: BS
authors.lastname: Emerald
authors.forename: Svetlana
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Mukhina
authors.forename: Kumarasamypet M
authors.initials: KM
authors.lastname: Mohankumar
authors.forename: Astrid
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Kraemer
authors.forename: Alpha S
authors.initials: AS
authors.lastname: Yap
authors.forename: Peter D
authors.initials: PD
authors.lastname: Gluckman
authors.forename: Kok-Onn
authors.initials: KO
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Peter E
authors.initials: PE
authors.lastname: Lobie
mesh_terms: D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology*; D015820:Cadherins / Q000502:physiology*; D002448:Cell Adhesion / Q000502:physiology; D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D049109:Cell Proliferation; D002470:Cell Survival / Q000502:physiology; D005260:Female; D015972:Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic / Q000502:physiology; D018398:Homeodomain Proteins / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D018613:Microscopy, Confocal; D011401:Promoter Regions, Genetic; D019253:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2 / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000378:metabolism; D015398:Signal Transduction / Q000502:physiology; D014157:Transcription Factors / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology*; D020830:rac1 GTP-Binding Protein / Q000502:physiology; D000099261:Homeobox A1 Protein
chemical_list: D015820:Cadherins; D018398:Homeodomain Proteins; D019253:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D014157:Transcription Factors; D020830:rac1 GTP-Binding Protein; D000099261:Homeobox A1 Protein