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RNA-binding protein RNPC1: acting as a tumor suppressor in breast cancer
Jin-Qiu Xue, Tian-Song Xia, Xiu-Qing Liang
1Jiangsu Breast Disease Center, the First Affiliated Hospital with Nanjing Medical University, 300 Guangzhou Road, Nanjing 210029, China. dingqiang@njmu.edu.cn.
Background:
RNA binding proteins (RBPs) play a fundamental role in posttranscriptional control of gene expression. Different RBPs have oncogenic or tumor-suppressive functions on human cancers. RNPC1 belongs to the RNA recognition motif (RRM) family of RBPs, which could regulate expression of diverse targets by mRNA stability in human cancer cells. Several studies reported that RNPC1 played an important role in cancer, mostly acting as an oncogene or up-regulating in tumors. However, its role in human breast cancer remains unclear.
Methods:
In the present study, we investigated the functional and mechanistic roles of RNPC1 in attenuating invasive signal including reverse epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) to inhibit breast cancer cells aggressiveness in vitro. Moreover, RNPC1 suppress tumorigenicity in vivo. Further, we studied the expression of RNPC1 in breast cancer tissue and adjacent normal breast tissue by quantitative RT-PCR (qRT-PCR) and Western blot.
Results:
We observed that RNPC1 expression was silenced in breast cancer cell lines compared to breast epithelial cells. More important, RNPC1 was frequently silenced in breast cancer tissue compared to adjacent normal breast tissue. Low RNPC1 mRNA expression was associated with higher clinical stages and mutp53, while low level of RNPC1 protein was associated with higher lymph node metastasis, mutp53 and lower progesterone receptor (PR). Functional assays showed ectopic expression of RNPC1 could inhibit breast tumor cell proliferation in vivo and in vitro through inducing cell cycle arrest, and further suppress tumor cell migration and invasion partly through repressing mutant p53 (mutp53) induced EMT.
Conclusions:
Overall, our findings indicated that RNPC1 had a potential function to play a tumor-suppressor role which may be a potential marker in the therapeutic and prognostic of breast cancer.
Insights
RNA export 1 (RNPC1) acts as a tumor suppressor in breast cancer by inhibiting cell proliferation, migration, and invasion. Silenced RNPC1 expression correlates with advanced tumor stages and poor prognostic markers, suggesting its therapeutic potential.
Area of Science:
- Oncology
- Molecular Biology
- Gene Regulation
Background:
- RNA binding proteins (RBPs) regulate gene expression post-transcriptionally.
- RNPC1, an RBP, has varied roles in cancer, often as an oncogene.
- The specific function of RNPC1 in breast cancer remains largely undefined.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the functional and mechanistic roles of RNPC1 in breast cancer.
- To determine if RNPC1 suppresses breast cancer cell aggressiveness and tumorigenicity.
- To analyze RNPC1 expression patterns in breast cancer tissues.
Main Methods:
- Quantitative RT-PCR and Western blot to assess RNPC1 expression.
- In vitro assays to evaluate cell proliferation, migration, and invasion.
- In vivo studies to assess tumorigenicity.
- Analysis of RNPC1 expression in relation to clinical parameters.
Main Results:
- RNPC1 expression is silenced in breast cancer cell lines and tissues.
- Low RNPC1 levels correlate with advanced clinical stages, mutp53, and lymph node metastasis.
- Ectopic RNPC1 expression inhibits proliferation, migration, and invasion by inducing cell cycle arrest and repressing mutant p53-induced EMT.
Conclusions:
- RNPC1 functions as a tumor suppressor in breast cancer.
- RNPC1 may serve as a valuable biomarker for breast cancer prognosis and therapy.
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