SLC44A4 modulates the extracellular matrix through the PI3K/AKT signaling pathway, thereby affecting the proliferation, migration, and invasion of ovarian clear cell carcinoma (OCCC)

In: Cytotechnology · 2025 · vol. 78(1) , pp. 17 · doi:10.1007/s10616-025-00881-w · PMID:41409876 · W4417311768
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AI-generated summary by claude@2026-06, 2026-06-07

The solute carrier family 44 member 4 (SLC44A4) influences ovarian clear cell carcinoma (OCCC) cell proliferation, migration, and invasion by modulating the extracellular matrix via the PI3K/AKT signaling pathway.

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The study investigated how overexpression of the choline transporter gene SLC44A4 affects ovarian clear cell carcinoma (OCCC) cell behavior and explored underlying mechanisms. Using in vitro functional assays (CCK-8, colony formation, scratch, and Transwell) alongside Western blotting to assess extracellular matrix changes and PI3K/AKT signaling, the authors found that SLC44A4 inhibited OCCC cell proliferation and migration, with associated extracellular matrix alterations and potential suppression of PI3K/AKT signaling. A stated caveat is that the work is based on cellular experiments, leaving broader in vivo relevance and clinical validation for future studies. This paper does not explicitly discuss endometriosis or adenomyosis; it was included in the corpus via a keyword match in the upstream search index.

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Abstract

SLC44A4 is involved in the transmembrane transport of choline and other organic cations, influencing phospholipid metabolism in cell membranes and potentially participating in immune regulation. Ovarian clear cell carcinoma (OCCC), often diagnosed at advanced stages, exhibits poor responsiveness to conventional surgery and chemotherapy. Therefore, there is an urgent need to identify new biomarkers that can provide insights into the mechanisms underlying its onset and progression.To investigate the impact of SLC44A4 overexpression on the biological behavior of OCCC cells and to explore the underlying mechanisms.The effects of SLC44A4 on the proliferation, migration, and invasion of OCCC cells were assessed using CCK-8, colony formation, scratch, and Transwell assays. The impact of SLC44A4 on the extracellular matrix and PI3K/Akt signaling pathway was evaluated by Western blotting.SLC44A4 inhibited the proliferation and migration of OCCC cells in vitro, altered the extracellular matrix, and may inhibit the PI3K/Akt signaling pathway.SLC44A4 overexpression can alter the tumor microenvironment and inhibit the malignant progression of ovarian clear cell carcinoma (OCCC) by remodeling its extracellular matrix. These findings suggest that SLC44A4 may serve as a potential biomarker for evaluating the prognosis of OCCC. Similar content being viewed by others Data availability Data will be made available upon reasonable request.

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Additional information Publisher’s note Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations. Rights and permissions Springer Nature or its licensor (e.g. a society or other partner) holds exclusive rights to this article under a publishing agreement with the author(s) or other rightsholder(s); author self-archiving of the accepted manuscript version of this article is solely governed by the terms of such publishing agreement and applicable law. About this article Cite this article Li, T., Song, W., Liu, S. et al. SLC44A4 modulates the extracellular matrix through the PI3K/AKT signaling pathway, thereby affecting the proliferation, migration, and invasion of ovarian clear cell carcinoma (OCCC). Cytotechnology 78, 17 (2026). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10616-025-00881-w Received: Accepted: Published: Version of record: DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10616-025-00881-w

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