title: Molecular characterization of LASP-1 expression reveals vimentin as its new partner in human hepatocellular carcinoma cells.
abstract: Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the third most common cause of cancer-related mortality worldwide. We have previously reported that LASP-1 is a downstream protein of the urokinase type plasminogen activator (uPA). Here we investigated the role of LASP-1 in HCC by a molecular and biological characterization of LASP-1 expression in human HCC specimens and in cultured HCC cells. We determined the LASP-1 mRNA expression levels in 55 HCC cases with different hepatic background disease. We identified 3 groups of patients with high, equal or low LASP-1 mRNA levels in HCC tissues compared to the peritumoral (PT) tissues. In particular we found that i) the HCCs displayed a higher LASP-1 mRNA level in HCC compared to PT tissues; ii) the expression levels of LASP-1 mRNA in female HCCs were significantly higher compared to male HCCs; iii) the cirrhotic HCCs displayed a higher LASP-1 mRNA. Further, the biological characterization of the ectopic LASP-1 overexpression in HCC cells, using MALDI-TOF mass spectrometer on the LASP-1 co-immunoprecipitated fractions, displayed vimentin as a novel putative partner of LASP-1. Our results suggest that LASP-1 mRNA overexpression may be mainly implicated in female HCCs and cirrhotic HCCs; and that LASP1 may play its role with vimentin in HCC cells.
authors.affiliation: Department of Molecular and Translational Medicine, Division of Biology and Genetics, University of Brescia, Brescia, Italy.
authors.forename: Alessandro
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Salvi
authors.affiliation: Department of Experimental Oncology and Molecular Medicine, Proteomics Laboratory, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Nazionale dei Tumori, Milan, Italy.
authors.forename: Italia
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Bongarzone
authors.affiliation: Department of Molecular and Translational Medicine, Division of Biology and Genetics, University of Brescia, Brescia, Italy.
authors.forename: Lia
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Ferrari
authors.affiliation: Department of Molecular and Translational Medicine, Division of Biology and Genetics, University of Brescia, Brescia, Italy.
authors.forename: Edoardo
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Abeni
authors.affiliation: Department of Molecular and Translational Medicine, Division of Biology and Genetics, University of Brescia, Brescia, Italy.
authors.forename: Bruna
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Arici
authors.affiliation: Department of Experimental Oncology and Molecular Medicine, Proteomics Laboratory, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Nazionale dei Tumori, Milan, Italy.
authors.forename: Maida
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: De Bortoli
authors.affiliation: Department of Molecular and Translational Medicine, Division of Biology and Genetics, University of Brescia, Brescia, Italy.
authors.forename: Sabrina
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Scuri
authors.affiliation: Department of Molecular and Translational Medicine, Division of Biology and Genetics, University of Brescia, Brescia, Italy.
authors.forename: Daniela
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Bonini
authors.affiliation: Department of Molecular and Translational Medicine, Division of Biology and Genetics, University of Brescia, Brescia, Italy.
authors.forename: Ilaria
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Grossi
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical and Experimental Sciences, Division of Morbid Anatomy, University of Brescia, Brescia, Italy.
authors.forename: Anna
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Benetti
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical and Experimental Sciences, Surgical Clinic, University of Brescia, Brescia, Italy.
authors.forename: Gianluca
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Baiocchi
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical and Experimental Sciences, Surgical Clinic, University of Brescia, Brescia, Italy.
authors.forename: Nazario
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Portolani
authors.affiliation: Department of Molecular and Translational Medicine, Division of Biology and Genetics, University of Brescia, Brescia, Italy.
authors.forename: Giuseppina
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: De Petro
mesh_terms: D048868:Adaptor Proteins, Signal Transducing / Q000235:genetics*; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D006528:Carcinoma, Hepatocellular / Q000235:genetics*; D003598:Cytoskeletal Proteins / Q000235:genetics*; D005260:Female; D005455:Fluorescent Antibody Technique; D020869:Gene Expression Profiling; D015972:Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D060588:LIM Domain Proteins / Q000235:genetics*; D008113:Liver Neoplasms / Q000235:genetics*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000235:genetics; D012737:Sex Factors; D019032:Spectrometry, Mass, Matrix-Assisted Laser Desorption-Ionization; D014407:Tumor Cells, Cultured; D014746:Vimentin / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D048868:Adaptor Proteins, Signal Transducing; D003598:Cytoskeletal Proteins; C096353:LASP1 protein, human; D060588:LIM Domain Proteins; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D014746:Vimentin