Research Article

Alternative splicing isoform of T cell factor 4K suppresses the proliferation and metastasis of non-small cell lung cancer cells

Published: October 30, 2015
Genet. Mol. Res. 14 (4) : 14009-14018 DOI: https://doi.org/10.4238/2015.October.29.20
Cite this Article:
Y.C. Fan, L. Min, H. Chen, Y.L. Liu (2015). Alternative splicing isoform of T cell factor 4K suppresses the proliferation and metastasis of non-small cell lung cancer cells. Genet. Mol. Res. 14(4): 14009-14018. https://doi.org/10.4238/2015.October.29.20
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Abstract

The Wnt pathway has been implicated in the initiation, progression, and metastasis of lung cancer. T cell factor 4, a member of TCF/LEF family, acts as a transcriptional factor for Wnt pathways in lung cancer. Increasing amounts of evidence have shown that TCF-4 has multiple alternative splicing isoforms with transactivation or transrepression activity toward the Wnt pathway. Here, we found the presence of multiple TCF-4 isoforms in lung cancer cell lines and in normal bronchial epithelial cells. TCF-4K isoform expression was significantly decreased in lung cancer cells compared with normal bronchial epithelial cells and was identified as a transcriptional suppressor of the Wnt pathway in non-small cell lung carcinoma (NSCLC). Overexpression of TCF-4K significantly inhibited the proliferation and migration of NSCLC cells. Collectively, our data indicate that TCF-4K functions as a tumor suppressor in NSCLC by down-regulating the Wnt pathway.

The Wnt pathway has been implicated in the initiation, progression, and metastasis of lung cancer. T cell factor 4, a member of TCF/LEF family, acts as a transcriptional factor for Wnt pathways in lung cancer. Increasing amounts of evidence have shown that TCF-4 has multiple alternative splicing isoforms with transactivation or transrepression activity toward the Wnt pathway. Here, we found the presence of multiple TCF-4 isoforms in lung cancer cell lines and in normal bronchial epithelial cells. TCF-4K isoform expression was significantly decreased in lung cancer cells compared with normal bronchial epithelial cells and was identified as a transcriptional suppressor of the Wnt pathway in non-small cell lung carcinoma (NSCLC). Overexpression of TCF-4K significantly inhibited the proliferation and migration of NSCLC cells. Collectively, our data indicate that TCF-4K functions as a tumor suppressor in NSCLC by down-regulating the Wnt pathway.

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