Knockdown of RhoE Expression Enhances TGF-β-Induced EMT (epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition) in Cervical Cancer HeLa Cells

Abstract

Cervical cancer with early metastasis of the primary tumor is associated with poor prognosis and poor therapeutic outcomes. Since epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT) plays a role in acquisition of the ability to invade the pelvic lymph nodes and surrounding tissue, it is important to clarify the molecular mechanism underlying EMT in cervical cancer. RhoE, also known as Rnd3, is a member of the Rnd subfamily of Rho GTPases. While previous reports have suggested that RhoE may act as either a positive or a negative regulator of cancer metastasis and EMT, the role of RhoE during EMT in cervical cancer cells remains unclear. The present study revealed that RhoE expression was upregulated during transforming growth factor-β (TGF-β)-mediated EMT in human cervical cancer HeLa cells. Furthermore, reduced RhoE expression enhanced TGF-β-mediated EMT and migration of HeLa cells. In addition, we demonstrated that RhoE knockdown elevated RhoA activity and a ROCK inhibitor partially suppressed the acceleration of TGF-β-mediated EMT by RhoE knockdown. These results indicate that RhoE suppresses TGF-β-mediated EMT, partially via RhoA/ROCK signaling in cervical cancer HeLa cells.

lncRNA SNHG4 promotes cell proliferation, migration, invasion and the epithelial-mesenchymal transition process via sponging miR-204-5p in gastric cancer

“…EMT is a process during which epithelial cells lose polarity, tight junctions, adhesion and the morphology and characteristics of cytoplasmic cells, thus gaining the ability to invade and migrate (23,24). EMT serves a crucial role in tumor formation and metastasis, especially in the invasion and metastasis of tumors (25)(26)(27)(28). In the process of EMT, the expression levels of various cell adhesion factors, such as E-cad and α-catenin, are downregulated, while others, such as Twist, Snail, Slug and TGF-β, are upregulated (26)(27)(28).…”

“…EMT serves a crucial role in tumor formation and metastasis, especially in the invasion and metastasis of tumors (25)(26)(27)(28). In the process of EMT, the expression levels of various cell adhesion factors, such as E-cad and α-catenin, are downregulated, while others, such as Twist, Snail, Slug and TGF-β, are upregulated (26)(27)(28). Therefore, the increased expression levels of E-cad, along with decreased expression levels of N-cad and Snail, reflect decreased EMT.…”

Ethyl pyruvate inhibits glioblastoma cells migration and invasion through modulation of NF-κB and ERK-mediated EMT

“…It is a key link in tumor cell invasion and metastasis and is closely related to the occurrence and development of tumors (Kalluri & Weinberg, 2009). Nowadays, a large number of studies have proved that EMT or EMT(-like) plays an important role not only in the in-situ invasion and distant metastasis of breast cancer, cervical cancer, gastric cancer and some other tumors (Jiang et al, 2019;Liu et al, 2017;Nath et al, 2019;Nishizuka, Komada & Imagawa, 2019;Sun et al, 2018;Yilmaz & Christofori, 2009), but also in the invasive growth of malignant glioma (Iser et al, 2017;Mikheeva et al, 2010;Takashima, Kawaguchi & Yamanaka, 2019). In the EMT process, the cell polarity disappears, the adhesion weakens and it morphologically transforms from epithelial cells to mesenchymal cells.…”

Knockdown of RhoQ, a member of Rho GTPase, accelerates TGF-β-induced EMT in human lung adenocarcinoma

“…Elongated cell morphology was evaluated as previously described [ 22 ]. The lengths of the major and minor cell axes were measured using NIH-Image software, and cell ratios of major to minor axes were used to determine the degree of elongated cell morphology.…”