PCP4/PEP19 promotes migration, invasion and adhesion in human breast cancer MCF-7 and T47D cells

Oncotarget. 2016 Aug 2;7(31):49065-49074. doi: 10.18632/oncotarget.7529.

Abstract

Purkinje cell protein (PCP) 4/peptide (PEP) 19 is expressed in Purkinje cells where it has a calmodulin-binding, anti-apoptotic function. We recently demonstrated that PCP4/PEP19 is expressed and inhibit apoptosis in human breast cancer cell lines. In the present study we investigated the role of PCP4/PEP19 in cell morphology, adhesion, migration, and invasion in MCF-7 and T47D human breast cancer cell lines. Knockdown of PCP4/PEP19 reduced the formation of filopodia-like cytoplasmic structures and vinculin expression, and enhanced E-cadherin expression. Activities of migration, invasion, and cell adhesion were also decreased after the knockdown of PCP4/PEP19 in MCF-7 and T47D cells. These results suggested that PCP4/PEP19 promotes cancer cell adhesion, migration, and invasion and that PCP4/PEP19 may be a potential target for therapeutic agents in breast cancer treatment which act by inhibiting epithelial-mesenchymal transition and enhancing apoptotic cell death.

Keywords: EMT; PCP4/PEP19; breast cancer; invasion; migration.

MeSH terms

  • Apoptosis
  • Breast Neoplasms / metabolism*
  • Breast Neoplasms / pathology*
  • Cadherins / metabolism
  • Cell Adhesion
  • Cell Count
  • Cell Line, Tumor
  • Cell Movement
  • Culture Media
  • Epithelial-Mesenchymal Transition
  • Female
  • Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic*
  • Humans
  • MCF-7 Cells
  • Neoplasm Invasiveness
  • Nerve Tissue Proteins / metabolism*
  • Polycomb Repressive Complex 1 / metabolism
  • Pseudopodia / metabolism
  • RNA, Small Interfering / metabolism
  • Treatment Outcome
  • Vinculin / metabolism

Substances

  • BMI1 protein, human
  • Cadherins
  • Culture Media
  • Nerve Tissue Proteins
  • RNA, Small Interfering
  • PCP4 protein, human
  • Vinculin
  • Polycomb Repressive Complex 1