GDF11 exhibits tumor suppressive properties in hepatocellular carcinoma cells by restricting clonal expansion and invasion

Publication date: Available online 16 March 2019Source: Biochimica et Biophysica Acta (BBA) - Molecular Basis of DiseaseAuthor(s): Monserrat Gerardo-Ramírez, Roberto Lazzarini-Lechuga, Sharik Hernández-Rizo, Javier Esteban Jiménez-Salazar, Arturo Simoni-Nieves, Carmen García-Ruiz, José Carlos Fernández-Checa, Jens U. Marquardt, Cedric Coulouarn, María Concepción Gutiérrez-Ruiz, Benjamín Pérez-Aguilar, Luis E. Gomez-QuirozAbstractGrowth differentiation factor 11 (GDF11) has been characterized as a key regulator of differentiation in cells that retain stemness features, despite some controversies in age-related studies. GDF11 has been poorly investigated in cancer, particularly in those with stemness capacity, such as hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), one of the most aggressive cancers worldwide. Here, we focused on investigating the effects of GDF11 in liver cancer cells. GDF11 treatment significantly reduced proliferation, colony and spheroid formation in HCC cell lines. Consistently, down-regulation of CDK6, cyclin D1, cyclin A, and concomitant upregulation of p27 was observed after 24 h of treatment. Interestingly, cell viability was unchanged, but cell functionality was compromised. These effects were potentially induced by the expression of E-cadherin and occludin, as well as Snail and N-cadherin repression, in a time-dependent manner. Furthermore, GDF11 treatment for 72 h induced that cells were incapable of sustaining colony and sphere capacity in the absen...
Source: Biochimica et Biophysica Acta (BBA) Molecular Basis of Disease - Category: Molecular Biology Source Type: research