Aurora-A enhances malignant development of esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) by phosphorylating β-catenin.

ABSTRACT: The Aurora-A gene encodes a serine/threonine protein kinase that is frequently overexpressed in several types of human tumors. The overexpression of Aurora-A has been observed to associate with the grades of differentiation, invasive capability and distant lymph node metastasis of esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC). However, the molecular mechanism by which Aurora-A promotes malignant development of ESCC is still largely unknown. In this study, we show that Aurora-A overexpression enhances tumor cell invasion and metastatic potential in vitro and in vivo. Furthermore, Aurora-A overexpression inhibits the degradation of β-catenin, promotes its dissociation from cell-cell contacts and increases its nuclear translocation. We also demonstrate for the first time that Aurora-A directly in

SUBMITTER: Jin S 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5528673 | biostudies-literature | 2015 Jan

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature