title: Hepatocyte growth factor regulates HLX1 gene expression to modulate HTR-8/SVneo trophoblast cells.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Paracrine signaling of the hepatocyte growth factor (HGF) cytokine plays an important role in survival and invasion ability of placental trophoblasts. However, the intracellular factors and biological pathways underlying these responses remain unclear.
  
  
  METHODS
  This study investigated whether HGF affected the expression of homeobox gene HLX1, which is principally expressed in reproductive tissues and in some immune cells, and evaluated the implications of such in the HGF-induced human trophoblast cell line HTR-8/SVneo.
  
  
  RESULTS
  HGF was found to up-regulate both HLX1 mRNA and protein levels. Transient transfection of small interfering RNA (siRNA) targeting HLX1 abrogated its induction by HGF. Functionally, HLX1 siRNA not only reduced the growth and invasion capacities of HTR-8/SVneo cells at the basal level, but also inhibited these responses induced by HGF treatment.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  HLX1 is an essential downstream signaling component of HGF that leads to growth and invasiveness of trophoblast cells.
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Qilu Hospital of Shandong University, Jinan, China. qlhaiyingliu@yahoo.com.cn
authors.forename: Hai-Ying
authors.initials: HY
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Xue-Qin
authors.initials: XQ
authors.lastname: Jia
authors.forename: Ling-Xue
authors.initials: LX
authors.lastname: Gao
authors.forename: Yu-Yan
authors.initials: YY
authors.lastname: Ma
mesh_terms: D015153:Blotting, Western; D002460:Cell Line; D002465:Cell Movement; D049109:Cell Proliferation; D002470:Cell Survival; D005260:Female; D020868:Gene Silencing; D017228:Hepatocyte Growth Factor / Q000378:metabolism*; D018398:Homeodomain Proteins / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D020778:Matrix Metalloproteinase 2 / Q000378:metabolism; D020780:Matrix Metalloproteinase 9 / Q000378:metabolism; D010929:Placentation; D011247:Pregnancy; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000378:metabolism; D034741:RNA, Small Interfering; D060888:Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction; D014157:Transcription Factors / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D014327:Trophoblasts / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism*; D015854:Up-Regulation
chemical_list: C066855:HGF protein, human; C084058:HLX protein, human; D018398:Homeodomain Proteins; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D034741:RNA, Small Interfering; D014157:Transcription Factors; D017228:Hepatocyte Growth Factor; C522361:MMP2 protein, human; D020778:Matrix Metalloproteinase 2; C579270:MMP9 protein, human; D020780:Matrix Metalloproteinase 9