Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jun 28, 2026

Studying Cell Cycle-regulated Gene Expression by Two Complementary Cell Synchronization Protocols
12:02

Studying Cell Cycle-regulated Gene Expression by Two Complementary Cell Synchronization Protocols

Published on: June 6, 2017

A genome-wide expression analysis identifies a network of EpCAM-induced cell cycle regulators

K Maaser1, J Borlak

  • 1Molecular Medicine and Medical Biotechnology, Fraunhofer Institute of Toxicology and Experimental Medicine, Hannover, Germany.

British Journal of Cancer
|November 13, 2008
PubMed

Insights

EpCAM antibodies increase cancer cell proliferation by affecting cell cycle regulators. Understanding these EpCAM signaling pathways could impact future cancer therapies.

Area of Science:

  • Oncology
  • Molecular Biology
  • Immunology

Background:

  • Epithelial cell adhesion molecule (EpCAM) expression is elevated in various carcinomas.
  • EpCAM is a target for tumor diagnosis and EpCAM-based therapies.
  • Intracellular effects and signaling pathways of EpCAM-specific antibodies are largely unknown.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the intracellular effects of EpCAM-specific antibodies.
  • To identify signaling pathways triggered by EpCAM engagement.
  • To explore the impact of EpCAM antibodies on cancer cell proliferation and gene expression.

Main Methods:

  • Treatment of carcinoma cell lines (A2C12, A549, Caco-2) with a monoclonal EpCAM antibody (G8.8).
  • Assessment of cell proliferation using MTS and 5'-bromo-2'-deoxyuridine (BrdU) labeling assays.
  • Genome-wide gene expression analysis to identify regulated networks and pathways.

Main Results:

  • EpCAM antibody treatment dose-dependently increased proliferation in tested carcinoma cell lines.
  • Genome-wide analysis revealed regulation of cell cycle regulators and other key pathways.
  • Gene expression changes correlated with BrdU labeling data, highlighting impacts on cell cycle, death, growth, and proliferation.

Conclusions:

  • EpCAM is involved in signal transduction, activating intracellular signaling pathways.
  • EpCAM antibody-induced signaling affects critical cellular processes including proliferation and cell cycle.
  • Elucidating EpCAM signaling pathways may necessitate a re-evaluation of current EpCAM-based therapeutic strategies.

More Related Videos

Analysis of Cell Cycle Position in Mammalian Cells12:19

Analysis of Cell Cycle Position in Mammalian Cells

Published on: January 21, 2012

Analysis of Combinatorial miRNA Treatments to Regulate Cell Cycle and Angiogenesis11:44

Analysis of Combinatorial miRNA Treatments to Regulate Cell Cycle and Angiogenesis

Published on: March 30, 2019

Related Concept Videos

Positive Regulator Molecules02:39

Positive Regulator Molecules

Mitotic cell division results in daughter cells that exactly resemble the parent cell. However, errors in the DNA replication or distribution of genetic material may lead to genetic mutations that may be passed down to every new cell formed from the resulting abnormal cell. Propagation of such mutant cells is restricted through checkpoint mechanisms present at different stages of the cell cycle. These checkpoints involve regulator molecules that either promote or demote cell cycle events.
Positive Regulator Molecules01:45

Positive Regulator Molecules

To consistently produce healthy cells, the cell cycle—the process that generates daughter cells—must be precisely regulated.
Inhibition of Cdk Activity02:34

Inhibition of Cdk Activity

The orderly progression of the cell cycle depends on the activation of Cdk protein by binding to its cyclin partner. However, the cell cycle must be restricted when undergoing abnormal changes. Most cancers correlate to the deregulated cell cycle, and since Cdks are a central component of the cell cycle, Cdk inhibitors are extensively studied to develop anticancer agents. For instance, cyclin D associates with several Cdks, such as Cdk 4/6, to form an active complex. The cyclin D-Cdk4/6 complex...
Negative Regulator Molecules01:23

Negative Regulator Molecules

Positive regulators allow a cell to advance through cell cycle checkpoints. Negative regulators have an equally important role as they terminate a cell’s progression through the cell cycle—or pause it—until the cell meets specific criteria.
Mitogens and the Cell Cycle02:38

Mitogens and the Cell Cycle

Mitogens and their receptors play a crucial role in controlling the progression of the cell cycle. However, the loss of mitogenic control over cell division leads to tumor formation. Therefore, mitogens and mitogen receptors play an important role in cancer research. For instance, the epidermal growth factor (EGF) - a type of mitogen and its transmembrane receptor (EGFR), decides the fate of the cell's proliferation. When EGF binds to EGFR, a member of the ErbB family of tyrosine kinase...
The Cell Cycle Control System01:28

The Cell Cycle Control System

The cell cycle regulation directs how a cell proceeds from one phase to the next and begins mitosis. The cell cycle control system includes intracellular regulatory molecules and external triggers. They provide "stop" or "advance" signals and operate at specific cell cycle stages termed checkpoints to ensure that a particular process is completed before the cell advances to the next phase.
Cyclins and cyclin-dependent kinases (Cdks) are the primary cell cycle regulators and function at the cell...