Involvement of RHO GTPases and ERK in synuclein-gamma enhanced cancer cell motility

Int J Oncol. 2006 Nov;29(5):1201-5.

Abstract

Synuclein-gamma is aberrantly expressed in more than 70% of stage III/IV breast and ovarian carcinomas. Ectopic overexpression of synuclein-gamma enhanced MDA-MB-435 cell migration in vitro and metastasis in a nude mouse model. However, the mechanism of how synuclein-gamma promotes cell motility is not clear. In our previous studies, we showed that synuclein-gamma overexpression activates ERK. In the present study, we overexpressed synuclein-gamma in several breast and ovarian cancer cell lines and evaluated the effect of synuclein-gamma on the activity of small G-protein RHO family members. We found that at least one of the RHO/RAC/CDC42 GTPases showed a higher level of the GTP-bound active form. Consistent with their role in regulating the intracellular motile machinery, inhibition of the RHO/RAC/CDC42 by C. difficile Toxin B blocked cell migration in both parental cells and synuclein-gamma overexpressing cells. The ERK inhibitor U0126 also blocked the cell migration in both parental cells and synuclein-gamma overexpressing cells. Collectively, our data indicate that synuclein-gamma might be involved in late stage breast and ovarian cancer metastasis by enhancing cell motility through activation of the RHO family small-GTPases and ERK.

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
  • Research Support, U.S. Gov't, Non-P.H.S.

MeSH terms

  • Bacterial Proteins / pharmacology
  • Bacterial Toxins / pharmacology
  • Breast Neoplasms / enzymology
  • Breast Neoplasms / genetics
  • Breast Neoplasms / pathology*
  • Butadienes / pharmacology
  • Cell Line, Tumor
  • Cell Movement* / genetics
  • Extracellular Signal-Regulated MAP Kinases / antagonists & inhibitors
  • Extracellular Signal-Regulated MAP Kinases / metabolism*
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Nitriles / pharmacology
  • Ovarian Neoplasms / enzymology
  • Ovarian Neoplasms / genetics
  • Ovarian Neoplasms / pathology*
  • Protein Kinase Inhibitors / pharmacology
  • Transcriptional Activation
  • Transfection
  • gamma-Synuclein / genetics
  • gamma-Synuclein / physiology*
  • rho GTP-Binding Proteins / antagonists & inhibitors
  • rho GTP-Binding Proteins / metabolism*

Substances

  • Bacterial Proteins
  • Bacterial Toxins
  • Butadienes
  • Nitriles
  • Protein Kinase Inhibitors
  • U 0126
  • gamma-Synuclein
  • toxB protein, Clostridium difficile
  • Extracellular Signal-Regulated MAP Kinases
  • rho GTP-Binding Proteins