title: Involvement of IFN regulatory factor (IRF)-1 and IRF-2 in the formation and progression of human esophageal cancers.
abstract: IFN regulatory factor (IRF)-1 and IRF-2 are generally regarded as a tumor suppressor and an oncoprotein, respectively. However, little is known about their expression and function in esophageal squamous cell carcinomas (ESCC). In our present work, IRF-1 expression was decreased and IRF-2 expression was increased in ESCCs compared with matched normal esophageal tissues. Moreover, statistical data indicated that IRF-2 expression was tightly correlated with progression of ESCCs. As expected, overexpression of either IRF-1 or IRF-2 in an ESCC cell line resulted in either suppression or enhancement of cell growth, respectively. Also, proliferation- and apoptosis-related molecules (p21(WAF1/CIP1), cyclin-D1, Bcl-2, and histone H4) were regulated by IRF-1 and IRF-2. Additionally, high levels of IRF-2 blocked the function of IRF-1 by preventing the latter from translocating into the nucleus; in contrast, knock down of IRF-2 by small interfering RNA permitted nuclear localization and activity of IRF-1. In vivo assay using nude mice indicated that the tumorigenicity of ESCC cells was enhanced with IRF-2 overexpression but dramatically attenuated after forced expression of IRF-1. In conclusion, IRF-1 and IRF-2 are able to regulate tumorigenicity of ESCC cells as antioncoprotein and oncoprotein, respectively. Relative amounts of IRF-1 to IRF-2 are functionally very important for the development and progression of ESCCs, and reduction of the ratio of IRF-1/IRF-2 may lead to the enhancement of tumorigenicity of ESCC cells. Therefore, levels of IRF-1 and IRF-2 are useful indicators in diagnosis and prognosis for ESCCs, and these molecules are potential drug targets for ESCC therapy.
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Molecular Oncology, Institute for Nutritional Sciences, Shanghai Institutes for Biological Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, China.
authors.forename: Yan
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Dong-Ping
authors.initials: DP
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Ping-Ping
authors.initials: PP
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: H Phillip
authors.initials: HP
authors.lastname: Koeffler
authors.forename: Xiang-Jun
authors.initials: XJ
authors.lastname: Tong
authors.forename: Dong
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Xie
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D017209:Apoptosis / Q000502:physiology; D048708:Cell Growth Processes / Q000502:physiology; D018450:Disease Progression; D004938:Esophageal Neoplasms / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D004947:Esophagus / Q000378:metabolism; D005260:Female; D015972:Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic; D006801:Humans; D050856:Interferon Regulatory Factor-1 / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D050836:Interferon Regulatory Factor-2 / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008819:Mice, Nude; D008875:Middle Aged; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics; D014162:Transfection; D014183:Transplantation, Heterologous
chemical_list: C494229:IRF2 protein, human; D050856:Interferon Regulatory Factor-1; D050836:Interferon Regulatory Factor-2; D012333:RNA, Messenger