Transgelin promotes migration and invasion of cancer stem cells.
Recent studies have suggested the existence of a small subset of cancer cells called cancer stem cells (CSCs), which possess the ability to initiate malignancies, promote tumor formation, drive metastasis, and evade conventional chemotherapies. Elucidation of the specific signaling pathway and mechanism underlying the action of CSCs might improve the efficacy of cancer treatments. In this study, we analyzed differentially expressed proteins between tumerigenic and nontumorigenic cells isolated from the human hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) cell line, Huh7, via proteomic analysis to identify proteins correlated with specific features of CSCs. The expression level of Transgelin was 25-fold higher in tumorigenic cells than nontumorigenic cells. Similar results were also observed in tumorigenic cells derived from colorectal adenocarcinoma and prostate carcinoma. More importantly, the elevated levels of Transgelin significantly increased the invasiveness of tumorigenic cells, whereas reduced levels decreased the invasive potential. Moreover, in tumors derived from Huh7-induced xenografts, Transgelin was also co-expressed with CXCR4, which is responsible for tumor invasion. Taken together, these results indicate that the metastatic potential of CSCs arises from highly expressed Transgelin.
Lee
Eun-Kyung
EK
School of Life Sciences and Biotechnology, Korea University, Seoul, Korea.
Han
Gi-Yeon
GY
Park
Hye Won
HW
Song
Yeo-Ju
YJ
Kim
Chan-Wha
CW
D000071916:AC133 Antigen; D000818:Animals; D015703:Antigens, CD / Q000378:metabolism; D015153:Blotting, Western; D006528:Carcinoma, Hepatocellular / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D002465:Cell Movement; D015180:Electrophoresis, Gel, Two-Dimensional; D020869:Gene Expression Profiling; D015972:Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic; D006023:Glycoproteins / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D008114:Liver Neoplasms, Experimental / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D008840:Microfilament Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D009124:Muscle Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D009361:Neoplasm Invasiveness; D014411:Neoplastic Stem Cells / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D010455:Peptides / Q000378:metabolism; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction; D021241:Spectrometry, Mass, Electrospray Ionization; D014183:Transplantation, Heterologous
D000071916:AC133 Antigen; D015703:Antigens, CD; D006023:Glycoproteins; D008840:Microfilament Proteins; D009124:Muscle Proteins; D010455:Peptides; C051615:transgelin