[Experimental study of anti-metastasis effect of urokinase amino-terminal fragment gene on human breast cancer cells]

Abstract

Objective: To explore the suppressive effects of urokinase amino-terminal fragment (ATF) gene on metastatic potential of human breast cancer cell line MCF-7.

Methods: A pcDNA3-ATF plasmid containing ATF cDNA under CMV promotor/enhancer control was constructed and transfected into MCF-7 cells by lipofectin. The expression of of uPA/uPAR and ATF in MCF-7 cells were analyzed by RT-PCR and Western blot. The effect of ATF expression on invasiveness in vitro, tumorigenesis and metastasis in vivo of MCF-7 cell was investigated.

Results: MCF-7 cells displayed an overexpression of uPA/uPAR. Expression of ATF was detected after ATF gene-transfection. The invasive capacity of ATF gene-transfected MCF-7 cells was decreased significantly. Although the tumorigenesis was not affected, the in vivo metastasis of ATF gene-transfected MCF-7 cells was remarkably inhibited.

Conclusion: Suppression of invasiveness and metastasis of ATF-transfected MCF-7 cells is perhaps due to a competitive inhibition of interaction with endogenous uPA/uPAR.