Related Experiment Video

Updated: Aug 19, 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

13.2K

Circ-E-Cad encodes a protein that promotes the proliferation and migration of gastric cancer via the

Fanying Li1, Hongxing Tang1, Shaoji Zhao2

  • 1Department of Neurosurgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, People's Republic of China.

Molecular Carcinogenesis
|December 1, 2022
PubMed

Insights

Circular E-cadherin (circ-E-Cad) and its encoded protein C-E-Cad are upregulated in gastric cancer. C-E-Cad drives tumor progression by activating the PI3K/AKT pathway, while circ-E-Cad

Area of Science:

  • Oncology
  • Molecular Biology
  • Genetics

Background:

  • Circular RNAs (circRNAs) are increasingly recognized for their roles in cancer, often acting as miRNA sponges or interacting with proteins.
  • While some circRNAs encode proteins, their functions, particularly in gastric cancer (GC), are not fully understood.
  • The protein C-E-Cad, encoded by circ-E-Cad, is implicated in glioblastoma, but its role in GC requires elucidation.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the role and mechanism of circ-E-Cad and its encoded protein C-E-Cad in gastric cancer progression.
  • To determine the signaling pathways regulated by C-E-Cad in GC.
  • To explore the upstream regulation of C-E-Cad expression in GC.

Main Methods:

  • Quantitative real-time PCR and Western blotting to assess circ-E-Cad and C-E-Cad expression in GC cell lines and tissues.
  • In vitro and in vivo experiments involving knockdown of circ-E-Cad and overexpression of C-E-Cad.
  • Analysis of the PI3K/AKT and TGF-β/Smad signaling pathways.
  • Rescue experiments to confirm the functional role of C-E-Cad.

Main Results:

  • Both circ-E-Cad and C-E-Cad were significantly upregulated in GC cell lines and tissues.
  • Knockdown of circ-E-Cad inhibited GC cell proliferation and metastasis.
  • Overexpression of C-E-Cad promoted GC cell proliferation and metastasis, primarily by regulating the PI3K/AKT pathway.
  • C-E-Cad, not circ-E-Cad, was identified as the key executor of tumor-promoting functions.
  • The TGF-β/Smad pathway was found to upregulate C-E-Cad expression.

Conclusions:

  • C-E-Cad protein, encoded by circ-E-Cad, plays a crucial tumor-promoting role in gastric cancer.
  • C-E-Cad regulates GC cell proliferation, migration, and epithelial-mesenchymal transition via the PI3K/AKT pathway.
  • The TGF-β/Smad pathway contributes to gastric cancer progression by increasing C-E-Cad expression.
Keywords:
C-E-CadEMTgastric cancermigrationproliferation

More Related Videos

Author Spotlight: Unveiling Transmembrane Protein Family-Related Markers in Gastric Cancer and Implications for Targeted Therapies07:47

Author Spotlight: Unveiling Transmembrane Protein Family-Related Markers in Gastric Cancer and Implications for Targeted Therapies

Published on: September 15, 2023

1.6K
An Immunofluorescent Method for Characterization of Barrett’s Esophagus Cells08:54

An Immunofluorescent Method for Characterization of Barrett’s Esophagus Cells

Published on: July 20, 2014

14.1K

Related Concept Videos

Cadherins in Tissue Organization01:19

Cadherins in Tissue Organization

The cadherins are a superfamily of cell adhesion molecules comprising over 180 variants, with specific tissues expressing a particular combination of cadherin types. Cadherins generally exhibit homophilic binding; i.e., cadherins on one cell bind to cadherins of the same or closely related type on another cell. Thus, cells of the same type have a specific affinity to bind to each other and sort themselves into clusters to form tissues.
Cell Sorting During Development
Cell sorting plays an...
3.1K
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...
6.6K
mTOR Signaling and Cancer Progression03:03

mTOR Signaling and Cancer Progression

The mammalian target of rapamycin or mTOR protein was discovered in 1994 due to its direct interaction with rapamycin. The protein gets its name from a yeast homolog called TOR. The mTOR protein complex in mammalian cells plays a major role in balancing anabolic processes such as the synthesis of proteins, lipids, and nucleotides and catabolic processes, such as autophagy in response to environmental cues, such as availability of nutrients and growth factors.
The mTOR pathway or the...
3.9K
Role of Ephrin-Eph Signalling in Intestinal Stem Cell Renewal01:22

Role of Ephrin-Eph Signalling in Intestinal Stem Cell Renewal

Erythropoietin-producing hepatocellular carcinoma receptor (Eph) and its ligand, Eph receptor-interacting protein (Ephrin) were first discovered in the human carcinoma cell line, hence the name. Ephrin-Eph interaction guides cells to reach their appropriate location in adult tissues. They also play an essential role in the immune system by helping in immune cell migration, adhesion, and activation. Based on their structure and function, Eph is divided into two classes — EphA and EphB.
2.3K
The Ras Gene02:38

The Ras Gene

The Ras-gene-encoded proteins are regulators of signaling pathways controlling cell proliferation, differentiation, or cell survival. The Ras-gene family in humans constitutes three primary members—the HRas, NRas, and KRas. These genes code for four functionally distinct yet closely related proteins—the HRas, NRas, KRas4A, and KRas4B. The involvement of mutant Ras genes in human cancer was first discovered in 1982 and is among the most common causes of human tumorigenesis.
Ras is a...
6.4K
Cancer Cell Migration through Invadopodia01:35

Cancer Cell Migration through Invadopodia

Invadosome is a broad category of cell surface structures with proteolytic activity that  degrades the extracellular matrix (ECM). Invadosomes are present in normal cell types, including macrophages, endothelial cells, and neurons, as well as tumor cells. Although the macrophage podosomes and tumor cell invadopodia are classified as invadosomes, they have different structures, molecular pathways, and functions. Podosomes are short structures that last for a few minutes. However,...
2.4K