Expression profiling in OVCAR8 cells following treatment with relaxin-2 (RLN2)
The relaxin-RXFP1 signaling loop promotes survival and proliferation in a panel of high-grade serous ovarian (HGSOC) cancer cell lines. Knockdown of either the relaxin receptor-1(RXFP1) or relaxin-2 (RLN2) decreased growth and tumorigenicity and increased apoptosis in dependent HGSOC cell lines. Transcriptome profiling of relaxin-dependent HGSOC cells using RNA-Seq revealed genes with altered expression levels following relaxin treatment. This included components of the Notch signaling pathway (NOTCH1 and NOTCH3), Wnt signaling (DVL1, LRP5, BCL9) and extracellular matrix regulation (VEGF-A, MMP9, MMP23). Collectively, genes and pathways upregulated by relaxin provide insight into the mechanisms by which it sustains proliferation of dependent cells. Overall design: Whole genome transcriptome analysis in OVCAR8 cells treated with recombinant human relaxin-2 (RLN2). OVCAR8 cells were plated in 6-well format. 24 hours later, cells were starved in RPMI containing 0% FBS for 16 hr. Cells were either untreated or treated with human recombinant RLN2 (50ng/mL, Phoenix Pharmaceuticals 035-62) in triplicate for 8 hours. Cells were harvested and RNA was purified using Trizol extraction.