title: Reduced expression of Snail decreases breast cancer cell motility by downregulating the expression and inhibiting the activity of RhoA GTPase.
abstract: Several lines of evidence support an important role for Snail, a transcriptional factor, in breast cancer. Overexpression of Snail has been associated with breast cancer metastasis, although the specific role of Snail in the process remains unclear. To address this issue, the expression levels of Snail, RhoA and fibronectin, as well as MMP-2, were reduced in the breast tumor cell lines MDA-MB-231 and MDA-MB-435S, and their biological responses were studiedin vitroandin vivo. For the first time, it was observed that downregulated Snail expression is correlated with a significant inhibition of the expression and activity of RhoA GTPase, as well as MMP-2. The present data provide evidence that Snail promotes tumor cell motility and angiogenesis which is mainly mediated through the regulation of RhoA activity. In conclusion, the present findings demonstrate a key regulatory role for Snail in breast tumor growth and progression.
authors.affiliation: Cancer Biology Research Center, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei 430030; ; Radiotherapy and Chemotherapy Department, Zhongnan Hospital, Wuhan University, Wuhan, Hubei 430000;
authors.forename: Ali
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Quansheng
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Zhiqiang
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Han
authors.forename: Wei
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Hu
authors.forename: Ling
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Xi
authors.forename: Qinlei
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Gao
authors.forename: Shixuan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Jianfeng
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Zhou
authors.forename: Gang
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Xu
authors.forename: Li
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Meng
authors.forename: Gang
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Ding
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Ma
keywords: RhoA GTPase; Snail; breast cancer; metastasis