Knockdown of hMex-3A by small RNA interference suppresses cell proliferation             and migration in human gastric cancer cells.
RNA-binding proteins (RBPs) play essential roles in RNA metabolism, regulating             RNA splicing, transport, surveillance, decay and translation. The aberrant expression             of RBPs leads to gene expression alteration and frequently causes various diseases,             such as cancer. In this study, we are the first to provide evidence that hMex-3A,             a RBP that belongs to the human Mex-3 family with two K-homology RNA-binding domains,             is involved in the regulation of tumorigenesis. We show that the silencing of             hMex-3A by small interference RNA effectively inhibits cell proliferation in SNU-16             and AGS gastric cancer cells. Flow cytometry analysis confirmed this effect on             SNU-16 cell growth and indicated that hMex-3A may function in the G1/M phase.             Notably, hMex-3A knockdown also reduced the colony formation ability of SNU-16             and AGS cells in soft agar, implying that hMex-3A is required for cell transformation.             Furthermore, the hMex-3A knockdown markedly affected the migratory ability of             BCG-823 cells by transwell chamber and wound healing assays. Clinical relevance             analysis using 22 paired gastric cancer specimens by quantitative real-time PCR             showed that hMex-3A was significantly upregulated (63.6%) in cancer tissues compared             with matched adjacent non-cancerous tissues. Taken together, these results suggest             that hMex-3A functions as an oncogene candidate in the development and metastasis             of gastric cancer; thus it may serve as a potential target for the therapy of             tumors.
Department of Oncology, Shanghai East Hospital of Tongji University, Shanghai, PR China.
Hong
H
Jiang
Xuemei
X
Zhang
Jinhong
J
Luo
Chunyan
C
Dong
Junli
J
Xue
Wei
W
Wei
Jingde
J
Chen
Jun
J
Zhou
Yong
Y
Gao
Changqing
C
Yang
D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D002465:Cell Movement; D049109:Cell Proliferation; D059585:G1 Phase Cell Cycle Checkpoints; D006801:Humans; D010750:Phosphoproteins / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D034622:RNA Interference; D034741:RNA, Small Interfering / Q000378:metabolism; D016601:RNA-Binding Proteins / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D013274:Stomach Neoplasms / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D015854:Up-Regulation
C519162:MEX3A protein, human; D010750:Phosphoproteins; D034741:RNA, Small Interfering; D016601:RNA-Binding Proteins