The epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) is associated with tumor progression. We reported previously that expression of the δEF1 family proteins (δEF1/ZEB1 and SIP1/ZEB2), key regulators of the EMT, is positively correlated with EMT phenotypes and aggressiveness of breast cancer. Here, we show that the expression levels of regulator of G-protein signaling 16 (RGS16) are negatively correlated with those of the δEF1 family proteins. On the basis of the results of gain- and loss-of-function analyses, we suggest that δEF1 family proteins promote cell motility of breast cancer cells directly or indirectly through repressing expression of RGS16.
Keywords: epithelial-mesenchymal transition; regulator of G-protein signaling 16; smad-interacting protein 1; δEF1; δEF1 family proteins.
© 2015 The Authors. FEBS Letters published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of Federation of European Biochemical Societies.