Silencing of astrocyte elevated gene‐1 inhibits proliferation and migration of melanoma cells and induces apoptosis. (July 2017)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Zhang, Yue; Peng, Ge; Wang, Ying; Cui, Lixia; Wu, Wenqing; Wang, Luan; Liu, Chengyu; Han, Xiuping
• Is Part Of: Clinical and experimental pharmacology and physiology. Volume 44:Number 7(2017:Jul.)
• Page Start: 815
• Page End: 826
• Publication Date: 2017-07
• Subjects: AEG‐1 -- apoptosis -- cell cycle -- melanoma -- migration -- proliferation -- Wnt/β‐catenin; Clinical pharmacology -- Periodicals; Pharmacology, Experimental -- Periodicals; Physiology, Experimental -- Periodicals; Physiology, Pathological -- Periodicals; 615.1
• DOI: 10.1111/1440-1681.12767
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0305-1870

Abstract

Summary: Melanoma is an aggressive skin malignancy with a high mortality. Astrocyte elevated gene‐1 ( AEG‐1 ), a downstream target of Ras and c‐Myc, has been implicated in the development of multiple tumours, but its role in melanoma remains unclear. In the present study, the role of AEG‐1 in melanoma was explored through AEG‐1 silencing. Our results showed that silencing AEG‐1 inhibited the proliferation of melanoma cells, induced cell cycle arrest, and reduced levels of cyclin A, cyclin B, cyclin D1, cyclin E, and cyclin‐dependent kinase 2. AEG‐1silencing also induced apoptosis in melanoma cells and altered the levels of cleaved caspase‐3, B‐cell lymphoma‐2 (Bcl‐2) and Bcl‐2 associated X protein. Moreover, silencing AEG‐1 suppressed the migration and invasion of melanoma cells, reduced the expressions and activities of matrix metallopeptidase (MMP)‐2 and MMP‐9, and inhibited the activation of the Wnt/β‐catenin signalling pathway in melanoma cells. Furthermore, in vivo experiments revealed that AEG‐1 silencing inhibited the growth of melanoma xenografts in nude mice. In summary, our study demonstrates an oncogenic role of AEG‐1 in melanoma and suggests that AEG‐1 may serve as a potential therapeutic target in the treatment of melanoma.