Autocrine bone morphogenetic protein-9 signals through activin receptor-like kinase-2/Smad1/Smad4 to promote ovarian cancer cell proliferation.

ABSTRACT: Bone morphogenetic proteins (BMPs) act as central regulators of ovarian physiology and may be involved in ovarian cancer development. In an effort to understand these processes, we characterized transforming growth factor beta/BMP receptor and Smad expression in immortalized ovarian surface epithelial cells and a panel of ovarian cancer cell lines. These studies prompted us to evaluate the potential role of BMP9 signaling in ovarian cancer. Using small interfering RNA, ligand trap, inhibitor, and ligand stimulation approaches, we show that BMP9 acts as a proliferative factor for immortalized ovarian surface epithelial cells and ovarian cancer cell lines, signaling predominantly through an ALK2/Smad1/Smad4 pathway rather than through ALK1, the major BMP9 receptor in endothelial cells. Impor

SUBMITTER: Herrera B 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC2892305 | biostudies-literature | 2009 Dec

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature