title: STK31 maintains the undifferentiated state of colon cancer cells.
abstract: The expression of serine/threonine kinase (STK) family is frequently altered in human cancers. However, the functions of these kinases in cancer development remain elusive. Here, we report that STK31 is robustly and heterogeneously expressed in colon cancer tissues and plays a critical role in determining the differentiation state of colon cancer cells. Knockdown or overexpression of STK31 induced or inhibited differentiation of colon cancer cells, respectively. Deletion of the STK domain abolished the inhibiting effect of STK31. Associated with differentiation, knockdown of STK31 resulted in significant suppression of tumorigenicity both in vitro and in vivo. Genome microarray analysis showed that knockdown of STK31 altered the expression profile of genes that are known to be involved in germ cell and cancer differentiation. Taken together, these results suggest that STK31 is able to control the differentiation state of colon cancer cells, which critically depends on its STK domain. The present findings may shed light on the new therapeutic approach against cancer by targeting STK31 and cancer differentiation.
authors: Epithelial Cell Biology Research Centre The Chinese University of Hong Kong Hong Kong SAR.
authors: Kin Lam
authors: KL
authors: Fok
authors: Chin Man
authors: CM
authors: Chung
authors: Shao Qiong
authors: SQ
authors: Yi
authors: Xiaohua
authors: X
authors: Jiang
authors: Xiao
authors: X
authors: Sun
authors: Hao
authors: H
authors: Chen
authors: Yang Chao
authors: YC
authors: Chen
authors: Hsiang-Fu
authors: HF
authors: Kung
authors: Qian
authors: Q
authors: Tao
authors: Ruiying
authors: R
authors: Diao
authors: Henry
authors: H
authors: Chan
authors: Xiao Hu
authors: XH
authors: Zhang
authors: Yiu Wa
authors: YW
authors: Chung
authors: Zhiming
authors: Z
authors: Cai
authors: Hsiao
authors: H
authors: Chang Chan
mesh_terms: D000230:Adenocarcinoma / Q000201:enzymology / Q000235:genetics / Q000473:pathology*; D000818:Animals; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D015153:Blotting, Western; D002453:Cell Cycle; D002454:Cell Differentiation; D049109:Cell Proliferation; D003106:Colon / Q000378:metabolism; D003110:Colonic Neoplasms / Q000201:enzymology / Q000235:genetics / Q000473:pathology*; D019175:DNA Methylation; D005260:Female; D005434:Flow Cytometry; D020869:Gene Expression Profiling; D006801:Humans; D007124:Immunoenzyme Techniques; D051379:Mice; D016688:Mice, Inbred NOD; D008819:Mice, Nude; D016513:Mice, SCID; D020411:Oligonucleotide Array Sequence Analysis; D011401:Promoter Regions, Genetic / Q000235:genetics; D017346:Protein Serine-Threonine Kinases / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D034741:RNA, Small Interfering / Q000235:genetics; D046888:Tissue Array Analysis; D014407:Tumor Cells, Cultured
chemical_list: D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D034741:RNA, Small Interfering; D017346:Protein Serine-Threonine Kinases; C000592903:STK31 protein, human