title: The role of serum response factor in hepatocellular carcinoma: an association with matrix metalloproteinase.
abstract: Serum response factor (SRF) regulates tran-scription of immediate early             genes and triggers proliferation, migration and differentiation in several types             of cells. Matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs), a group of zinc-dependent endopeptidases,             play a crucial role in tumor invasion and metastasis. However, expression of SRF             and its association with MMPs in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) have not been             elucidated. We examined the expression levels of SRF, MMP-2 and MMP-9 in HCC tissues             using Western blot assay. We also examined the effect of SRF on MMP expression             and enzyme activity in HCC by transfection of SRF cDNA in HLE cells. Protein expression             of SRF, MMP-2 and MMP-9 showed a significant increase in HCC tissues, compared             with those of corresponding non-tumor tissues. High SRF expressing HCC tissues             showed higher levels of expression of MMP-2 and MMP-9, compared with low SRF expressing             HCC tissues. In addition, overexpression of SRF in HLE cells led to increased             levels of expression of mRNA and protein, as well as increased enzyme activity             of MMP-2 and MMP-9. Overexpression of SRF also led to significantly enhanced migration             of HLE cells. These results suggest that overexpression of SRF in HCC may play             an important role in tumor cell migration and invasion through upregulation of             MMP-2 and MMP-9.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, Chonbuk National University, Medical                     School, Research Institute of Clinical Medicine, and Research Institute                     for Endocrine Sciences, Jeonju 561-756, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Kyung Ryoul
authors.initials: KR
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Jun Sang
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Bae
authors.forename: Ha Na
authors.initials: HN
authors.lastname: Choi
authors.forename: Ho Sung
authors.initials: HS
authors.lastname: Park
authors.forename: Kyu Yun
authors.initials: KY
authors.lastname: Jang
authors.forename: Myoung Ja
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Chung
authors.forename: Woo Sung
authors.initials: WS
authors.lastname: Moon
mesh_terms: D006528:Carcinoma, Hepatocellular / Q000378:metabolism*; D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D002465:Cell Movement; D057075:Enzyme Assays; D015870:Gene Expression; D006801:Humans; D008113:Liver Neoplasms / Q000378:metabolism*; D020778:Matrix Metalloproteinase 2 / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D020780:Matrix Metalloproteinase 9 / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D011994:Recombinant Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D026362:Serum Response Factor / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D026362:Serum Response Factor; C522361:MMP2 protein, human; D020778:Matrix Metalloproteinase 2; D020780:Matrix Metalloproteinase 9