Published online Aug 15, 2003. doi: 10.3748/wjg.v9.i8.1689
Revised: March 19, 2003
Accepted: April 1, 2003
Published online: August 15, 2003
AIM: To clarify the mechanisms of integrin overexpression in negatively regulating the cell cycle control of hepatocellular carcinoma cells SMMC-7721.
METHODS: The cell cycle pattern was determined by flow cytometry. The mRNA and protein expression levels were assayed by RT-PCR and Western blot, respectively. Stable transfection was performed by Lipofectamine 2000 reagent, and cells were screened by G418.
RESULTS: Overexpression of α5β1 or β1 integrin induced S-phase delay in SMMC-7721 cells, and this delay was possibly due to the accumulation of cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitors (CKIs) p21cip1 and p27kip1. The decrease of protein kinase B (PKB) phosphorylation was present in this signaling pathway, but focal adhesion kinase (FAK) was not involved. When phosphorylation of PKB was solely blocked by wortmannin, p27kip1 protein level was increased. Moreover, S-phase delay was recurred when attachment of the parental SMMC-7721 cells was inhibited by the preparation of poly-HEME, and this cell cycle pattern was similar to that of β1-7721 or α5β1-7721 cells.
CONCLUSION: S-phase delay induced by overexpression of integrin β1 subunit is attributed to the decrease of PKB phosphorylation and subsequent increases of p21cip1 and p27kip1 proteins, and may be involved in the unoccupied α5β1 because of lack of its ligands.