A role for VICKZ proteins in the progression of colorectal carcinomas: regulating lamellipodia formation.

ABSTRACT: VICKZ proteins are a highly conserved family of RNA binding proteins, implicated in RNA regulatory processes such as intracellular RNA localization, RNA stability, and translational control. During embryogenesis, VICKZ proteins are required for neural crest migration and in adults, the proteins are overexpressed primarily in different cancers. We hypothesized that VICKZ proteins may play a role in cancer cell migration. In patients, VICKZ expression varies with tumour type, with over 60% of colon, lung, and ovarian tumours showing strong expression. In colorectal carcinomas (CRCs), expression is detected at early stages, and the frequency and intensity of staining increase with progression of the disease to lymph node metastases, of which 97% express the protein at high levels. Indeed, in

SUBMITTER: Vainer G 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3148580 | biostudies-literature | 2008 Aug

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature