ILK enhances migration and invasion abilities of human endometrial stromal cells by facilitating the epithelial-mesenchymal transition

Qiao-Mei Zheng, Qiaomei Zheng, Xiaoyun Chen, Chen XY, Xiao-Yun Chen, Bao QF, Qiu-Fang Bao, Qiufang Bao, Yu J, Jin Yu, Chen LH, Lihong Chen, Li-Hong Chen
Gynecological endocrinology : the official journal of the International Society of Gynecological Endocrinology · 2018 · vol. 34(12) , pp. 1091–1096 · doi:10.1080/09513590.2018.1498477 · PMID:30182767 · W2889943060
Lab / animal OA: closed CC0 ⤵ 12 in-corpus citations
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Integrin-linked kinase (ILK) enhances human endometrial stromal cell migration and invasion by promoting epithelial-mesenchymal transition, as demonstrated by transwell and Western blot assays in eutopic and control cells.

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Abstract

Epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) plays a significant part in the pathogenesis of endometriosis by facilitating the migration and invasion abilities of cells. Integrin-linked kinase (ILK) increases the cell migration and invasion abilities by inducing the EMT. Eutopic and control endometrial stromal cells (EuSCs and CSCs) were isolated and cultured. Cell migration and invasion abilities were detected by transwell assays. Levels of proteins were detected by Western blot. EuSCs showed higher levels of ILK, N-cadherin, vimentin and stronger migration and invasion abilities. After transfection of siRNA-ILK, E-cadherin and keratin levels were increased while N-cadherin and vimentin levels were decreased in EuSCs. Besides that, the migration and invasion abilities of EuSCs were significantly decreased after transfection of siRNA-ILK. On the contrary, levels of ILK, N-cadherin and vimentin were increased while levels of E-cadherin and keratin were decreased simultaneously after transfecting CSCs with pEGFP-C1-ILK. Simultaneously, the migration and invasion abilities of CSCs were increased after transfection of pEGFP-C1-ILK. Our study verified that high expression of ILK enhanced the migration and invasion abilities of ESCs by facilitating the EMT. Given that ILK played crucial roles in the pathogenesis of endometriosis, it may be considered as a promising targeted therapy for endometriosis.

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Condition tags

endometriosis

MeSH descriptors

Endometriosis Endometrium Epithelial-Mesenchymal Transition Epithelial-Mesenchymal Transition Protein Serine-Threonine Kinases Adult Adult Cell Movement Cell Movement Endometriosis Endometriosis Endometrium Endometrium Female Female Humans Humans Middle Aged Middle Aged Protein Serine-Threonine Kinases

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