Objective: To investigate the effects of Rab23 over-expression and Rab23 knock-out on the migration and invasion of breast cancer cell line Bcap-37.
Methods: Western blotting was employed to detect the expression of Rab23 in breast cell line HBL-100 and cancer cell lines Bcap-37, MDA-MB-231, and MCF-7. Lentiviral vectors with Rab23 genes and with Rab23 RNAi were respectively transfected into breast cancer cell line Bcap-37, and the cells presenting the stable over-expression of Rab23 and the knock-out of Rab23 were respectively selected. Scratch healing assay and Transwell(R); invasion assay were used to examine the alterations of Bcap-37 cell migration and invasion potentials after Rab23 over-expression and Rab23 knock-out.
Results: Western blotting indicated that Rab23 was expressed in all breast cancer cell lines and normal breast cell line. And Rab23 expression level was the highest in Bcap-37 cells, which was statistically different as compared with HBL-100 cells (P<0.01). Compared with the control group, Bcap-37 cell line with Rab23 over-expression had the dramatically enhanced migration and invasion potentials (P<0.01). On the other hand, Bcap-37 cell line with Rab23 knock-out showed the significantly attenuated migration and invasion potentials (P<0.01).
Conclusion: Rab23 plays a pivotal role in the migration and invasion of Bcap-37 cells.