Acquiring Metastatic Competence by Oral Squamous Cell Carcinoma Cells Is Associated with Differential Expression of α-Tubulin Isoforms. (7th June 2012)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Lou, Becky; Engler, David; Dubinsky, William; Wu, Jean; Vigneswaran, Nadarajah
• Other Names: Roach M. Academic Editor.
• Is Part Of: Journal of oncology. Volume 2012(2012)
• Publication Date: 2012-06-07
• Subjects: Oncology -- Research -- Periodicals; Tumors -- Periodicals; Neoplasms; Oncology -- Research; Tumors; Periodicals; Periodicals; 616.994
• DOI: 10.1155/2012/491685
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1687-8450

Abstract

Abstract : We performed comparative global proteomics analyses of patient-matched primary (686Tu) and metastatic (686Ln) OSCC cells. The metastatic OSCC 686Ln cells showed greater in vitro migratory/invasive potential and distinct cell shape from their parental primary 686Tu cells. Ettan DIGE analysis revealed 1316 proteins spots in both cell lines with >85% to be quantitatively similar (<2 folds) between the two cell lines. However, two protein spots among four serial spots were highly dominant in 686Ln cells. Mass spectrometry sequencing demonstrated all four spots to be α -tubulin isotypes. Further analysis showed no significant quantitative difference in the α -tubulin between the two cell lines either at mRNA or protein levels. Thus, two distinct isoforms of α -tubulin, probably due to posttranslational modification, were associated with metastatic 686Ln cells. Immunofluorescence demonstrated remarkable differences in the cytosolic α -tubulin distribution patterns between the two cells. In 686Tu cells, α -tubulin proteins formed a normal network composed of filaments. In contrast, α -tubulin in 686Ln cells exhibited only partial cytoskeletal distribution with the majority of the protein diffusely distributed within the cytosol. Since α -tubulin is critical for cell shape and mobility, our finding suggests a role of α -tubulin isoforms in acquisition of metastatic phenotype and represents potential target for therapeutic intervention.