Effect and mechanism of the Twist gene on invasion and metastasis of gastric carcinoma cells.
OBJECTIVE
To study the effect of the transfected Twist gene on invasion and metastasis of gastric carcinoma cells and the possible mechanisms involved.


METHODS
Human gastric carcinoma MKN28 cells were stably transfected with Twist sense plasmid, and MKN45 cells were stably transfected with Twist antisense plasmid using the lipofectamine transfection technique. RT-PCR, Western blotting, EMSA, gelatin zymography assay, and in vitro invasion and migration assays were performed. Nude mice metastasis models were established by the abdominal cavity transfer method.


RESULTS
Cell models (TwistS-MKN28) that steadily expressed high Twist protein were obtained. Compared with MKN28 and pcDNA3-MKN28 cells, adherence, migration and invasion ability of TwistS-MKN28 cells were clearly raised. The number of cancer nodules was increased significantly in the abdominal cavity and liver of nude mice inoculated with TwistS-MKN28 cells. Overexpression of Twist in MKN28 cells increased Tcf-4/Lef DNA binding activity, and promoted expression of Tcf-4's downstream target genes cyclin D1 and MMP-2. However, suppression of Twist (TwistAS-MKN45) inhibited MKN45 cell invasion and the expression of cyclin D1 was reduced. The activity of MMP-2 was also decreased.


CONCLUSIONS
These results indicate that Twist promotes gastric cancer cell migration, invasion and metastasis, and Twist may play an important role in Wnt/Tcf-4 signaling.
Luo
Geng-Qiu
GQ
Department of Pathology, Basic School of Medicine, Central South University, Changsha 410008, Hunan Province, China.
Li
Jing-He
JH
Wen
Ji-Fang
JF
Zhou
Yan-Hong
YH
Hu
Yong-Bin
YB
Zhou
Jian-Hua
JH
D051778:Basic Helix-Loop-Helix Leucine Zipper Transcription Factors; D002448:Cell Adhesion; D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D002465:Cell Movement / Q000235:genetics; D019938:Cyclin D1 / Q000378:metabolism; D017931:DNA Primers; D016373:DNA, Antisense / Q000235:genetics; D004273:DNA, Neoplasm / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D024202:Electrophoretic Mobility Shift Assay; D006801:Humans; D009361:Neoplasm Invasiveness / Q000235:genetics*; D009362:Neoplasm Metastasis / Q000235:genetics*; D009363:Neoplasm Proteins / Q000302:isolation & purification; D009687:Nuclear Proteins / Q000235:genetics* / Q000302:isolation & purification; D013274:Stomach Neoplasms / Q000235:genetics* / Q000473:pathology*; D000073940:Transcription Factor 4; D014157:Transcription Factors / Q000378:metabolism; D014162:Transfection; D051879:Twist-Related Protein 1 / Q000235:genetics*
D051778:Basic Helix-Loop-Helix Leucine Zipper Transcription Factors; D017931:DNA Primers; D016373:DNA, Antisense; D004273:DNA, Neoplasm; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins; D009363:Neoplasm Proteins; D009687:Nuclear Proteins; C532096:TCF4 protein, human; C103173:TWIST1 protein, human; D000073940:Transcription Factor 4; D014157:Transcription Factors; D051879:Twist-Related Protein 1; D019938:Cyclin D1