CCL2 induces epithelial-mesenchyme transition in breast cancer MCF-7 cells / 中国医师杂志

ABSTRACT

Objective To explore the effect and molecular mechanism of CC chemokine ligand 2 (CCL2) on epithelial-mesenchymal transition in human breast cancer cells.Methods Breast cancer Michigan cancer foundation-7 (MCF-7) cells were treated with 50 ng/ml CCL2.The abilities of invasion were detected by Transwell assay.The expression of epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT)-associated markers,E-cadherin and vimentin were detected by Western blot and quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR).The expressions of Snail,protein kinase B (AKT),phosphorylated protein kinase B (p-AKT),phosphorylated glycogen synthase kinase 3β (p-GSK3β3) and GSK3β were detected by Western blot.Snail nuclear localization was detected by immunoflurescence staining.Results We found that CCL2 treatment could induce morphological alteration of MCF-7 cells from epithelial morphology to mesenchymal morphology.CCL2 significantly increased the migration of MCF-7 cells,and increased the expression of mesenchymal maker vimentin and decreased epithelial marker E-cadherin.More important,treatment of CCL2 significantly increased the expression of Snail,and promoted the nuclear localization of Snail.Knockdown of Snail significantly reverse the effects of CCL2 on the EMT in MCF-7 cells.Moreover,treatment of CCL2 significantly increased the phosphorylation levels of p-AKT and p-GSK3β,and AKT inhibitor LY294002 significantly inhibited CCL2-induced Snail and p-GSK3β expression.Conclusion CCL2 might induce EMT in MCF-7 cells,by which mechanism is related to activate AKT/GSK3β Snail pathway.