Analysis of invasion-metastasis in pancreatic cancer: Correlation between the expression and arrangement of tight junction protein-2 and cell dissociation in pancreatic cancer cells

Abstract

Abstract. High frequency of invasion and metastasis is one of the key characteristics of pancreatic cancer. in our recent study, tight junction protein-2 (Tjp-2) was identified as a differentially expressed gene related to invasion-metastasis in highly (Pc-1.0) and weakly (Pc-1) invasive and metastatic pancreatic cancer cells by cdna microarray analysis. changes in the structure and function of tight junctions are correlated with carcinogenesis and tumour development. in this study, rT-Pcr, Western blotting and immunocytochemistry were used to study the correlation between the expression and localisation of Tjp-2 and cell dissociation in pancreatic cancer. Tjp-2 mrna and protein were differentially expressed in Pc-1.0 and Pc-1 cells. Furthermore, the addition of dissociation factor (DF) or U0126 (a MEK inhibitor) significantly induced changes in the mrna expression and protein intracellular localisation of Tjp-2, and in the simultaneous cell dissociation of Pc-1.0 and Pc-1 cells. However, protein expression of Tjp-2 was not affected by dF or u0126 treatment. The current results indicate that Tjp-2 is involved in the regulation of cell dissociation in pancreatic cancer cells through changes in gene expression and intracellular localisation. Tjp-2 may serve as a new target for molecular therapies that prevent the invasion and metastasis of pancreatic cancer.