title: Expression of the receptor tyrosine kinase recepteur d'origine nantais and its association with tumor progression in hypopharyngeal cancer.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The purpose of this study was to investigate expression of recepteur d'origine nantais (RON) in human hypopharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) and to determine whether RON affects tumor cell behavior in hypopharyngeal SCC cell line and if this would serve as a target for molecular therapy in a preclinical model.
  
  
  METHODS
  Reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction, immunohistochemistry, Western blotting, cell invasion, migration, proliferation, and apoptosis assays were used to assess alteration of RON expression and its impact to cancer progression in human hypopharyngeal SCC.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Immunoreactivity of RON was observed in hypopharyngeal SCC tissues relative to adjacent normal mucosa in all cases. RON protein expression was significantly increased in metastatic lymph nodes than nonmetastatic lymph nodes by Western blotting. Knockdown of RON resulted in significantly reduced cell invasion, migration, and proliferation in human hypopharyngeal SCC cells. Knockdown of RON enhanced cell apoptosis through activation of caspase 3, caspase 7, and poly ADP-ribose polymerase (PARP).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These results indicate that knockdown of RON expression may be associated with the reversal of invasive phenotype in hypopharyngeal SCC.
authors.affiliation: Department of Otorhinolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Chonnam National University Medical School, Gwanju, Korea.
authors.forename: Tae Mi
authors.initials: TM
authors.lastname: Yoon
authors.forename: Sun-Ae
authors.initials: SA
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Young-Lan
authors.initials: YL
authors.lastname: Park
authors.forename: Kyung-Hwa
authors.initials: KH
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Myung-Whun
authors.initials: MW
authors.lastname: Sung
authors.forename: Joon Kyoo
authors.initials: JK
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Sang Chul
authors.initials: SC
authors.lastname: Lim
authors.forename: Ik-Joo
authors.initials: IJ
authors.lastname: Chung
authors.forename: Young-Eun
authors.initials: YE
authors.lastname: Joo
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D017209:Apoptosis; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology*; D018929:Cell Culture Techniques; D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D002465:Cell Movement; D049109:Cell Proliferation; D015331:Cohort Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007012:Hypopharyngeal Neoplasms / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009361:Neoplasm Invasiveness; D020794:Receptor Protein-Tyrosine Kinases / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: C080835:RON protein; D020794:Receptor Protein-Tyrosine Kinases