Role of Akt isoforms in HGF-induced invasive growth of human salivary gland cancer cells

Biochem Biophys Res Commun. 2008 May 23;370(1):123-8. doi: 10.1016/j.bbrc.2008.03.042. Epub 2008 Mar 18.

Abstract

The expression of hepatocyte growth factor (HGF) and c-Met is associated with tumor progression in many human malignancies. A recent study demonstrated HGF and c-Met expression in human salivary gland cancer tissues. Here, we investigated the role of the HGF/c-Met system in the invasive growth of two human salivary gland cancer cell lines: green fluorescent protein-adenoid cystic carcinoma 2 (GFP-ACC2) and GFP-ACCM. HGF enhanced the invasive growth of the two cell lines by activating PI3K/Akt signaling. All Akt isoforms (Akt1, Akt2, and Akt3) were detected in both cell types by Western blot analysis. Knockdown of any of the Akt isoforms using isoform-specific synthetic small-interfering RNAs largely abrogated the invasive growth induced by HGF. Our findings suggest that all of the Akt isoforms are required for the HGF-stimulated invasive growth of human salivary gland cancer cells, and that targeting a single Akt isoform could be effective in treating salivary gland cancers.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Base Sequence
  • Carcinoma, Adenoid Cystic / enzymology*
  • Carcinoma, Adenoid Cystic / pathology*
  • Hepatocyte Growth Factor / metabolism
  • Hepatocyte Growth Factor / pharmacology
  • Humans
  • Isoenzymes / antagonists & inhibitors
  • Isoenzymes / genetics
  • Isoenzymes / metabolism
  • Neoplasm Invasiveness
  • Phosphatidylinositol 3-Kinases / genetics
  • Phosphatidylinositol 3-Kinases / metabolism
  • Phosphoinositide-3 Kinase Inhibitors
  • Phosphorylation
  • Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-akt / antagonists & inhibitors
  • Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-akt / genetics
  • Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-akt / metabolism*
  • Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-met / antagonists & inhibitors
  • Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-met / genetics
  • Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-met / metabolism
  • RNA, Small Interfering / genetics
  • RNA, Small Interfering / pharmacology
  • Salivary Gland Neoplasms / enzymology*
  • Salivary Gland Neoplasms / pathology*
  • Signal Transduction
  • Tumor Cells, Cultured

Substances

  • Isoenzymes
  • Phosphoinositide-3 Kinase Inhibitors
  • RNA, Small Interfering
  • Hepatocyte Growth Factor
  • Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-met
  • Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-akt