title: Overexpression of Rac1 in leukemia patients and its role in leukemia cell migration and growth.
abstract: Rac1 belongs to the Rho family that act as critical mediators of signaling pathways controlling cell migration and proliferation and contributes to the interactions of hematopoietic stem cells with their microenvironment. Alteration of Rac1 might result in unbalanced interactions and ultimately lead to leukemogenesis. In this study, we analyze the expression of Rac1 protein in leukemia patients and determine its role in the abnormal behaviours of leukemic cells. Rac1 protein is overexpressed in primary acute myeloid leukemia cells as compared to normal bone marrow mononuclear cells. siRNA-mediated silencing of Rac1 in leukemia cell lines induced inhibition of cell migration, proliferation, and colony formation. Additionally, blocking Rac1 activity by an inhibitor of Rac1-GTPase, NSC23766, suppressed cell migration and growth. We conclude that overexpression of Rac1 contributes to the accelerated migration and high proliferation potential of leukemia cells, which could be implicated in leukemia development and progression.
authors: State Key Laboratory of Experimental Hematology, Institute of Hematology and Blood Diseases Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, 288 Nanjing Road, Tianjin 300020, PR China.
authors: Jiying
authors: J
authors: Wang
authors: Qing
authors: Q
authors: Rao
authors: Min
authors: M
authors: Wang
authors: Hui
authors: H
authors: Wei
authors: Haiyan
authors: H
authors: Xing
authors: Hang
authors: H
authors: Liu
authors: Yanzhong
authors: Y
authors: Wang
authors: Kejing
authors: K
authors: Tang
authors: Leiwen
authors: L
authors: Peng
authors: Zheng
authors: Z
authors: Tian
authors: Jianxiang
authors: J
authors: Wang
mesh_terms: D000634:Aminoquinolines / Q000494:pharmacology; D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D002465:Cell Movement; D049109:Cell Proliferation / Q000187:drug effects; D006801:Humans; D007938:Leukemia / Q000201:enzymology / Q000473:pathology*; D011743:Pyrimidines / Q000494:pharmacology; D034741:RNA, Small Interfering / Q000235:genetics; D014410:Tumor Stem Cell Assay; D020830:rac1 GTP-Binding Protein / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology*
chemical_list: D000634:Aminoquinolines; C487513:NSC 23766; D011743:Pyrimidines; D034741:RNA, Small Interfering; D020830:rac1 GTP-Binding Protein