A novel FoxM1-caveolin signaling pathway promotes pancreatic cancer invasion and metastasis

Chen Huang, Zhengjun Qiu, Liwei Wang, Zhihai Peng, Zhiliang Jia, Craig D. Logsdon, Xiangdong Le, Daoyan Wei, Suyun Huang, Keping Xie

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

151 Scopus citations

Abstract

Caveolin-1 (Cav-1), a principal structural component of caveolar membrane domains, contributes to cancer development but its precise functional roles and regulation remain unclear. In this study, we determined the oncogenic function of Cav-1 in preclinical models of pancreatic cancer and in human tissue specimens. Cav-1 expression levels correlated with metastatic potential and epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) in both mouse and human pancreatic cancer cells. Elevated levels in cells promoted EMT, migration, invasion, and metastasis in animal models, whereas RNA interference (RNAi)-mediated knockdown inhibited these processes. We determined that levels of Cav-1 and the Forkhead transcription factor FoxM1 correlated directly in pancreatic cancer cells and tumor tissues. Enforced expression of FoxM1 increased Cav-1 levels, whereas RNAi-mediated knockdown of FoxM1 had the opposite effect. FoxM1 directly bound to the promoter region of Cav-1 gene and positively transactivated its activity. Collectively, our findings defined Cav-1 as an important downstream oncogenic target of FoxM1, suggesting that dysregulated signaling of this novel FoxM1-Cav-1 pathway promotes pancreatic cancer development and progression.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)655-665
Number of pages11
JournalCancer Research
Volume72
Issue number3
DOIs
StatePublished - Feb 1 2012

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Oncology
  • Cancer Research

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