Knockdown of Rab7a suppresses the proliferation, migration, and xenograft tumor growth of breast cancer cells

Biosci Rep. 2019 Feb 5;39(2):BSR20180480. doi: 10.1042/BSR20180480. Print 2019 Feb 28.

Abstract

Breast cancer is a common invasive cancer in women. Ras-related protein Rab-7a (Rab7a) is involved in late endocytic trafficking, while its role in breast cancer is largely unclear. In the present study, we investigated the role of Rab7a in breast cancer. Comparing with adjacent breast tissues, Rab7a expression was increased in breast cancer tissues. Using lentivirus-mediated knockdown strategy, we found that Rab7a silencing inhibited the proliferation and colony formation of MDA-MB-231 cells. Apoptosis and G2 cell cycle arrest were induced in Rab7a knockdown. By contrast, Rab7a suppressed the apoptosis and promoted proliferation and colony formation of MCF-7 cells. The migration of MDA-MB-231 cells was suppressed by Rab7a knockdown. In vivo, depletion of Rab7a inhibited the xenograft tumor development of MDA-MB-231 cells. Altogether, our results highlight the novel function of Rab7a in the proliferation, invasion, and xenograft tumor development of breast cancer cells.

Keywords: Rab7a; apoptosis; cell cycle arrest; migration; proliferation.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Apoptosis / genetics
  • Breast Neoplasms / genetics*
  • Breast Neoplasms / metabolism
  • Breast Neoplasms / pathology*
  • Cell Cycle Checkpoints / genetics
  • Cell Line, Tumor
  • Cell Movement / genetics
  • Cell Proliferation / genetics
  • Female
  • Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic
  • Gene Knockdown Techniques
  • Humans
  • MCF-7 Cells
  • Male
  • Mice
  • Oncogenes
  • Signal Transduction / genetics
  • Xenograft Model Antitumor Assays
  • rab GTP-Binding Proteins / genetics*
  • rab GTP-Binding Proteins / metabolism
  • rab7 GTP-Binding Proteins

Substances

  • rab7 GTP-Binding Proteins
  • rab GTP-Binding Proteins