AEG-1 knockdown in colon cancer cell lines inhibits radiation-enhanced migration and invasion in vitro and in a novel in vivo zebrafish model

• Background Radiotherapy is a well-established anti-cancer treatment. Although radiotherapy has been shown to significantly decrease the local relapse in rectal cancer patients, the rate of distant metastasis is still very high. Several studies have shown that radiation enhances migration and invasion both in vitro and in vivo. The aim of this study was to evaluate whether AEG-1 is involved in radiation-enhanced migration and invasion in vitro and in a novel in vivo zebrafish model.Materials and Methods We evaluated the involvement of AEG-1 in migration and invasion and radiation-enhanced migration and invasion by Boyden chamber assay in three colon cancer cell lines and respective AEG-1 knockdown cell lines. Furthermore, we injected the cells in zebrafish embryos and evaluated the amount of disseminated cells into the tail.Results Migration and invasion was decreased in all the AEG-1 knockdown cell lines. Furthermore, radiation enhanced migration and invasion, while AEG-1 knockdown could abolish this effect. The results from the zebrafish model confirmed the results obtained in vitro. MMP-9 secretion and expression were decreased in AEG-1 knockdown cells.Conclusion Our results demonstrate that AEG-1 knockdown inhibits migration and invasion, as well as radiation-enhanced migration and invasion. We speculate that this is done via the downregulation of the intrinsic or radiation-enhanced MMP-9 expression. The zebrafish model can be used to study early events in radiation-enhanced invasion.

Subject headings

MEDICIN OCH HÄLSOVETENSKAP  -- Klinisk medicin -- Cancer och onkologi (hsv//swe)

MEDICAL AND HEALTH SCIENCES  -- Clinical Medicine -- Cancer and Oncology (hsv//eng)

Keyword

AEG-1

MTDH

LYRIC

Colon cancer

Zebrafish

Transwell migration and invasion

Radiation

Publication and Content Type

ref (subject category)

art (subject category)