BAG-1 accelerates cell motility of human gastric cancer cells

BAG-1 is a Hsp70/Hsc70-binding protein that interacts with Bcl-2, Raf-1, steroid hormone receptors, Siah-1, and hepatocyte growth factor (HGF) receptors, implying multiple functions for the BAG-1 protein. Here, we provide evidence that gene transfer-mediated overexpression of BAG-1 markedly enhances the motility of human gastric cancer cells. Two independent in vitro migration assays showed that the BAG-1-expressing MKN74 cells exhibited more active migration compared with control transfectants or parent MKN74 cells. In MKN74 cells, the overexpression of BAG-1 affected neither cell adhesion capability nor migration responses to HGF. The promotive effect of BAG-1 on cell migration was similarly observed in transfectants of another human gastric cancer MKN45 cell line. In BAG-1 transfected gastric cancer MKN74 cells, BAG-1 colocalized with cytokeratin as well as actin filaments, and was concentrated at membrane ruffles induced by lysophosphatidic acid (LPA). Taken together, these studies demonstrate that BAG-1 has a novel function as promoter of cell migration in human gastric cancer cells, possibly through cooperation with cytoskeletal proteins.