HOXB9 enhances the ability of lung cancer cells to penetrate the blood-brain barrier
Hongshan Zheng, Chenlong Li, Zhen-Zhe Li, Kaibin Zhu, Hongbo Bao, Jinsheng Xiong, Peng Liang
Abstract
BBB model, knockdown and overexpression experiments showed that HOXB9-dependent expression of MMP9 in NSCLC cells leads to reduced expression of junctional proteins in cultured human vascular endothelial cells and enhanced transmigration of tumor cells. These data indicate that HOXB9 enables NSCLC cells to break away from the primary tumor by inducing EMT, and promotes brain metastasis by driving MMP9 production and degradation of intercellular adhesion proteins in endothelial cells comprising the BBB.
Topics & Concepts
Blood–brain barrierLung cancerLungMedicinePathologyCancerNeuroscienceCancer researchInternal medicineBiologyCentral nervous systemBarrier Structure and Function StudiesEpigenetics and DNA MethylationCancer-related molecular mechanisms research