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Updated: Dec 9, 2025

Studying TGF-β Signaling and TGF-β-induced Epithelial-to-mesenchymal Transition in Breast Cancer and Normal Cells
Published on: October 27, 2020
A feedforward circuit shaped by ECT2 and USP7 contributes to breast carcinogenesis
Qi Zhang1, Cheng Cao1, Wenchen Gong1
1State Key Laboratory of Experimental Hematology, 2011 Collaborative Innovation Center of Tianjin for Medical Epigenetics, Key Laboratory of Immune Microenvironment and Disease (Ministry of Education), Key Laboratory of Breast Cancer Prevention and Therapy (Ministry of Education), Tianjin Medical University Cancer Institute and Hospital, Tianjin Medical University General Hospital, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Tianjin Medical University, Tianjin 300070, China.
Epithelial cell transforming factor ECT2 promotes breast cancer growth independently of its guanine nucleotide exchange factor (GEF) activity. It forms a feedback loop with USP7, stabilizing both proteins and sustaining oncogenic MDM2 expression for cancer cell survival.
Area of Science:
- Oncology
- Molecular Biology
- Biochemistry
Background:
- Guanine nucleotide exchange factors (GEFs), including ECT2, are implicated in carcinogenesis via oncogenic GTPase activation.
- The role of GEF-independent ECT2 activity in tumorigenesis is not well understood.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the role of ECT2 in breast cancer development.
- To elucidate the mechanism of ECT2's function, particularly its GEF-independent activities.
- To explore the interaction between ECT2 and USP7 in breast cancer.
Main Methods:
- Immunohistochemical staining, colony formation, and xenograft assays were used to assess ECT2's role in breast cancer.
- Co-immunoprecipitation and immunofluorescence identified interactions between ECT2 and USP7.
- RNA sequencing, RT-qPCR, and Western blotting analyzed the biological significance of the ECT2-USP7 interplay.
Main Results:
- ECT2 promotes breast cancer growth, and GEF-activity-deficient ECT2 partially rescues growth defects upon ECT2 depletion.
- ECT2 interacts with USP7, promoting USP7 self-association, deubiquitination, and stabilization independent of GEF activity.
- USP7 deubiquitinates and stabilizes ECT2, creating a feedforward loop that sustains MDM2 expression.
Conclusions:
- ECT2 has a GEF-independent role in promoting breast cancer cell survival.
- A reciprocal regulatory circuit exists between ECT2 and USP7.
- Targeting the ECT2/USP7 axis may offer a therapeutic strategy for breast cancer intervention.
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