Transforming growth factor ?1 promotes invasion of human JEG-3 trophoblast cells via TGF-?/Smad3 signaling pathway.

ABSTRACT: Transforming growth factor (TGF)-?1 is involved invasion of human trophoblasts. However, the underlying mechanisms remain unclear. In this study, we performed Transwell assay and found that TGF-?1 promoted the invasion of trophoblast cell line JEG-3. Treatment with TGF-?1 up-regulated the expression of receptor-regulated Smad transcription factors Smad2 and Smad3, and two invasive-associated genes, namely, matrix metallopeptidase (MMP)-9 and MMP-2, in JEG-3 cells. Over-expressing activin receptor-like kinase (ALK) 5, the TGF-? type I receptor (T?RI) enhanced the up-regulation of Smad2, Smad3, MMP-9, and MMP-2 induced by TGF-?1, whereas application of T?RI inhibitor SB431542 diminished the stimulatory effects of TGF-?1 on these genes. Furthermore, transfection of Smad3 and ALK-5 seperately or in combination into JEG-3 cells before TGF-?1 treatment significantly increased the expression of MMP-9 and MMP-2. By contrast, silencing Smad3 and Smad2 by siRNAs significantly decreased the expression of MMP-9 and MMP-2, with Smad3 silence having a more potent inhibitory effect. Inhibiting T?RI with SB431542 or knockdown of Smad3, but not Smad2, abolished the stimulatory effect of TGF-?1 on the invasion of JEG-3 cells. Taken together, the results indicate that TGF-?1 activates the Smads signaling pathway in JEG-3 trophoblast cells and Smad3 play a key role in TGF-?1-induced invasion of JEG-3 and up-regulation of MMP-9 and MMP-2 expression.

SUBMITTER: Huang Z 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5464890 | biostudies-other | 2017 May

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-other