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Updated: Apr 28, 2026
Modified Yeast-Two-Hybrid System to Identify Proteins Interacting with the Growth Factor Progranulin
Published on: January 17, 2012
Growth factor progranulin contributes to cervical cancer cell proliferation and transformation in vivo and in vitro
Yi Lu1, Lin Zheng2, Wen Zhang3
1Department of Medical Microbiology, Shandong University School of Medicine, Jinan, China; Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Shandong University School of Medicine, Jinan, China.
Objective:
The growth factor progranulin (PGRN) is overexpressed in a number of tumors. We aimed to investigate the expression and role of PGRN in cervical cancer tumorigenesis.
Methods:
PGRN expression and secretion was assessed in cells and normal and cancerous cervical tissues by Western blot analysis, ELISA or immunohistochemistry. The role of PGRN in cervical carcinogenesis was explored by cell-proliferation, colony-formation and tumor-growth assays. We assessed the role of PGRN-mediated signaling in the cervical cell with specific inhibitors.
Results:
PGRN expression was upregulated in cervical cancer cell lines and tissue. PGRN promoted the transformation of human cervical mucosa epithelial H8 cells in vitro and tumor formation in vivo. Knockdown of PGRN expression in cervical cancer cells in vivo decreased cell proliferation and slowed tumor growth. PGRN stimulated cervical cell proliferation, and transformation was mediated, at least in part, by Akt and Erk signaling.
Conclusions:
PGRN is overexpressed in cervical cancer and promotes the malignant growth and transformation of cervical cells. Therefore, PGRN plays a critical role in carcinogenesis of cervical cancer and shows promise for therapeutic strategies for cervical cancer.
