title: Downregulation of transcription factor Oct4 induces an epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition via enhancement of Ca2+ influx in breast cancer cells.
abstract: The stem cell-related transcription factor Oct4 regulates tumor proliferation and apoptosis, but its role in tumor migration and invasion is still undefined. Here, we compared Oct4 expression in MCF-7 and MDA-MB-231 cells, two breast cancer cell lines with similar epithelial origins, but distinct invasive and metastatic characteristics. We found MCF-7 cells to express very high levels of Oct4, while no obvious expression was detected in MDA-MB-231 cells. We then downregulated Oct4 expression using small interfering RNA (siRNA) to explore its effects on migration and invasion. Transwell assays showed that silencing Oct4 in MCF-7 cells improved their migration and invasion capabilities. Reverse-transcriptase PCR and western blots showed that E-cadherin expression decreased, and α-smooth muscle actin expression increased with Oct4 downregulation, which suggests that epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT) occurred. A potent EMT stimulus, TGF-β1, significantly inhibited Oct4 expression in both dose- and time course-dependent manners. Silencing Oct4 also upregulated expression of two major components of store-operated Ca(2+) entry channels (SOCs), STIM1 and Orai1, and enhanced SOC-directed Ca(2+) influx. Silencing STIM1 blocked the Ca(2+) influx and rescued the EMT initiated by Oct4 downregulation. In conclusion, silencing Oct4 promotes invasion and metastasis in breast cancer cells by inducing EMT. This effect may be related to SOCs-directed enhancement of Ca(2+) influx.
authors.affiliation: Medical School of Nankai University, Tianjin, China.
authors.forename: Jiajia
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Hu
authors.forename: Kunhua
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Qin
authors.forename: Yan
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Junbo
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Gong
authors.forename: Na
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Dan
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Lv
authors.forename: Rong
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Xiang
authors.forename: Xiaoyue
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Tan
mesh_terms: D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology*; D002118:Calcium / Q000378:metabolism*; D015220:Calcium Channels / Q000378:metabolism; D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D002465:Cell Movement; D015536:Down-Regulation; D058750:Epithelial-Mesenchymal Transition / Q000235:genetics*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008565:Membrane Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D009361:Neoplasm Invasiveness; D009363:Neoplasm Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D000071740:ORAI1 Protein; D050814:Octamer Transcription Factor-3 / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D034622:RNA Interference; D000071737:Stromal Interaction Molecule 1; D053773:Transforming Growth Factor beta1 / Q000494:pharmacology
chemical_list: D015220:Calcium Channels; D008565:Membrane Proteins; D009363:Neoplasm Proteins; D000071740:ORAI1 Protein; C510746:ORAI1 protein, human; D050814:Octamer Transcription Factor-3; C494173:POU5F1 protein, human; C103530:STIM1 protein, human; D000071737:Stromal Interaction Molecule 1; D053773:Transforming Growth Factor beta1; D002118:Calcium