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Updated: Dec 22, 2025

Studying TGF-β Signaling and TGF-β-induced Epithelial-to-mesenchymal Transition in Breast Cancer and Normal Cells
06:54

Studying TGF-β Signaling and TGF-β-induced Epithelial-to-mesenchymal Transition in Breast Cancer and Normal Cells

Published on: October 27, 2020

14.0K

SH3BGRL2 exerts a dual function in breast cancer growth and metastasis and is regulated by TGF-β1

Dou-Dou Li1,2,3, Ling Deng1, Shu-Yuan Hu1

  • 1Shanghai Cancer Center and Institutes of Biomedical Sciences, Fudan University Shanghai 200032, China.

American Journal of Cancer Research
|May 6, 2020
PubMed

Insights

SH3BGRL2 protein suppresses breast cancer growth but promotes metastasis by repressing SPTAN1 and SPTBN1. Transforming growth factor-beta1 (TGF-β1) regulates SH3BGRL2 expression in breast cancer cells.

Area of Science:

  • Oncology
  • Molecular Biology
  • Cell Biology

Background:

  • SH3BGRL2 is a poorly characterized protein with potential roles in development.
  • Its function in cancer, particularly breast cancer, remains largely undefined.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the role of SH3BGRL2 in breast tumor growth and metastasis.
  • To elucidate the underlying molecular mechanisms and signaling pathways involved.

Main Methods:

  • Analysis of SH3BGRL2 expression in primary breast tumors.
  • In vitro cell proliferation, colony formation, migration, and invasion assays.
  • In vivo xenograft tumor growth and metastasis studies.
  • Interaction studies, transcriptional repression analysis, and functional rescue assays.
  • Investigation of the TGF-β1 signaling pathway.

Main Results:

  • SH3BGRL2 was downregulated in a subset of breast tumors.
  • SH3BGRL2 suppressed breast cancer cell proliferation and tumor growth.
  • SH3BGRL2 significantly enhanced breast cancer cell migration, invasion, and lung metastasis.
  • SH3BGRL2 repressed the expression of cytoskeletal proteins SPTAN1 and SPTBN1.
  • TGF-β1 transcriptionally activated SH3BGRL2 expression via the TGF-β receptor-Smad pathway.

Conclusions:

  • SH3BGRL2 exhibits a dual role in breast cancer, inhibiting tumor growth while promoting metastasis.
  • SH3BGRL2's metastatic potential is mediated through the repression of SPTAN1 and SPTBN1.
  • SH3BGRL2 is a downstream target of TGF-β1 signaling in breast cancer.
Keywords:
Breast cancerSH3BGRL2SPTAN1SPTBN1TGF-β signaling

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