The Voltage-Gated Sodium Channel Beta4 Subunit Maintains Epithelial Phenotype in Mammary Cells.

ABSTRACT: The SCN4B gene, coding for the Na_Vβ4 subunit of voltage-gated sodium channels, was recently found to be expressed in normal epithelial cells and down-regulated in several cancers. However, its function in normal epithelial cells has not been characterized. In this study, we demonstrated that reducing Na_Vβ4 expression in MCF10A non-cancer mammary epithelial cells generated important morphological changes observed both in two-dimensional cultures and in three-dimensional cysts. Most notably, the loss of Na_Vβ4 induced a complete loss of epithelial organisation in cysts and increased proteolytic activity towards the extracellular matrix. Loss of epithelial morphology was associated with an increased degradation of β-catenin, reduced E-cadherin expression

SUBMITTER: Doray A 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC8304757 | biostudies-literature | 2021 Jun

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature