title: Growth factor progranulin contributes to cervical cancer cell proliferation and transformation in vivo and in vitro.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The growth factor progranulin (PGRN) is overexpressed in a number of tumors. We aimed to investigate the expression and role of PGRN in cervical cancer tumorigenesis.
  
  
  METHODS
  PGRN expression and secretion was assessed in cells and normal and cancerous cervical tissues by Western blot analysis, ELISA or immunohistochemistry. The role of PGRN in cervical carcinogenesis was explored by cell-proliferation, colony-formation and tumor-growth assays. We assessed the role of PGRN-mediated signaling in the cervical cell with specific inhibitors.
  
  
  RESULTS
  PGRN expression was upregulated in cervical cancer cell lines and tissue. PGRN promoted the transformation of human cervical mucosa epithelial H8 cells in vitro and tumor formation in vivo. Knockdown of PGRN expression in cervical cancer cells in vivo decreased cell proliferation and slowed tumor growth. PGRN stimulated cervical cell proliferation, and transformation was mediated, at least in part, by Akt and Erk signaling.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  PGRN is overexpressed in cervical cancer and promotes the malignant growth and transformation of cervical cells. Therefore, PGRN plays a critical role in carcinogenesis of cervical cancer and shows promise for therapeutic strategies for cervical cancer.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Microbiology, Shandong University School of Medicine, Jinan, China; Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Shandong University School of Medicine, Jinan, China.
authors.forename: Yi
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Lu
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Microbiology, Shandong University School of Medicine, Jinan, China; Microbiological Lab, The Affiliated Hospital of School of Medicine of Ningbo University, Ningbo, China.
authors.forename: Lin
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Zheng
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Microbiology, Shandong University School of Medicine, Jinan, China.
authors.forename: Wen
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Microbiology, Shandong University School of Medicine, Jinan, China.
authors.forename: Tingting
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Feng
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Microbiology, Shandong University School of Medicine, Jinan, China.
authors.forename: Juan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, Shandong University School of Medicine, Jinan, China.
authors.forename: Xiao
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: Department of Hematology, Qilu Hospital, Shandong University, Jinan, China.
authors.forename: Yuan
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Yu
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Microbiology, Shandong University School of Medicine, Jinan, China.
authors.forename: Mei
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Qi
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Microbiology, Shandong University School of Medicine, Jinan, China.
authors.forename: Weiming
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Zhao
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Microbiology, Shandong University School of Medicine, Jinan, China. Electronic address: yuxp@sdu.edu.cn.
authors.forename: Xiuping
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Yu
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Microbiology, Shandong University School of Medicine, Jinan, China. Electronic address: weitang@sdu.edu.cn.
authors.forename: Wei
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Tang
mesh_terms: D049109:Cell Proliferation; D002471:Cell Transformation, Neoplastic / Q000473:pathology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D036341:Intercellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins / Q000502:physiology*; D000077153:Progranulins; D014407:Tumor Cells, Cultured; D002583:Uterine Cervical Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology*
chemical_list: C492314:GRN protein, human; D036341:Intercellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins; D000077153:Progranulins
keywords: Cell proliferation; Cervical cancer; Progranulin; Transformation