{"title":"NRF2 promotes the migration of ovarian cancer cell lines by targeting TAGLN mediated epithelial-mesenchymal transition.","authors":"Huan Wang, Panpan Zhang, Qi Cheng, Lingjie Bao","doi":"10.1186/s13048-025-01804-1","DOIUrl":null,"url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Objective: </strong>Migration is one of the essential steps of cancer cell metastasis. Here we try to demonstrate the molecular crosstalk between NRF2-TAGLN pathway and ovarian cancer migration.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>Western blot and Real-time PCR were used to determine the expression of NRF2 and TAGLN. Pharmacological treatment and gene intervention were employed to modulate gene expression. Wound-healing and Transwell assay were used to examine the migration ability of ovarian cancer cell lines. Dual luciferase activity and chromatin immunoprecipitation assay (CHIP) were applied to verify TAGLN as a NRF2 target gene.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>NRF2 overexpression promoted the migration of ovarian cancer cells. Our previous microarray data indicated 18 putative NRF2 target genes. Among these genes, TAGLN, binding with actin protein, has been reported to affect cytoskeletal dynamics and cell migration. A detailed analysis identified one functional antioxidant response element (ARE) in the promoter region of TAGLN, indicating TAGLN as one NRF2 target gene. Next, we explored the role of TAGLN on ovarian cancer cell migration. It showed that TAGLN overexpression promoted ovarian cancer cell migration. Conversely, knockdown of TAGLN inhibited ovarian cancer cell migration. Furthermore, transient knockdown of TAGLN using specific siRNA notably decreased cell motility in the NRF2 overexpressed ovarian cancer cells, significantly reversing the effect of NRF2 on ovarian cancer cell migration. Besides, NRF2 overexpression activated epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) pathway. While, co-transfection TAGLN siRNA in NRF2 overexpressed cancer cells leaded to the upregulation of E-cadherin and the downregulation of N-cadherin, inactivating EMT pathway.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>Our study shows that NRF2 and the novel target gene TAGLN, plays a critical role in ovarian cancer cell migration via modulating cell motility and EMT. Targeting NRF2-TAGLN axis may be a new strategy to overcome metastasis and improve the ovarian cancer prognosis.</p><p><strong>Clinical trial number: </strong>Not applicable.</p>","PeriodicalId":16610,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Ovarian Research","volume":"18 1","pages":"213"},"PeriodicalIF":4.2000,"publicationDate":"2025-09-30","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12487345/pdf/","citationCount":"0","resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":null,"PeriodicalName":"Journal of Ovarian Research","FirstCategoryId":"3","ListUrlMain":"https://doi.org/10.1186/s13048-025-01804-1","RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":null,"EPubDate":"","PubModel":"","JCR":"Q1","JCRName":"REPRODUCTIVE BIOLOGY","Score":null,"Total":0}
引用次数: 0
Abstract
Objective: Migration is one of the essential steps of cancer cell metastasis. Here we try to demonstrate the molecular crosstalk between NRF2-TAGLN pathway and ovarian cancer migration.
Methods: Western blot and Real-time PCR were used to determine the expression of NRF2 and TAGLN. Pharmacological treatment and gene intervention were employed to modulate gene expression. Wound-healing and Transwell assay were used to examine the migration ability of ovarian cancer cell lines. Dual luciferase activity and chromatin immunoprecipitation assay (CHIP) were applied to verify TAGLN as a NRF2 target gene.
Results: NRF2 overexpression promoted the migration of ovarian cancer cells. Our previous microarray data indicated 18 putative NRF2 target genes. Among these genes, TAGLN, binding with actin protein, has been reported to affect cytoskeletal dynamics and cell migration. A detailed analysis identified one functional antioxidant response element (ARE) in the promoter region of TAGLN, indicating TAGLN as one NRF2 target gene. Next, we explored the role of TAGLN on ovarian cancer cell migration. It showed that TAGLN overexpression promoted ovarian cancer cell migration. Conversely, knockdown of TAGLN inhibited ovarian cancer cell migration. Furthermore, transient knockdown of TAGLN using specific siRNA notably decreased cell motility in the NRF2 overexpressed ovarian cancer cells, significantly reversing the effect of NRF2 on ovarian cancer cell migration. Besides, NRF2 overexpression activated epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) pathway. While, co-transfection TAGLN siRNA in NRF2 overexpressed cancer cells leaded to the upregulation of E-cadherin and the downregulation of N-cadherin, inactivating EMT pathway.
Conclusions: Our study shows that NRF2 and the novel target gene TAGLN, plays a critical role in ovarian cancer cell migration via modulating cell motility and EMT. Targeting NRF2-TAGLN axis may be a new strategy to overcome metastasis and improve the ovarian cancer prognosis.
期刊介绍：
Journal of Ovarian Research is an open access, peer reviewed, online journal that aims to provide a forum for high-quality basic and clinical research on ovarian function, abnormalities, and cancer. The journal focuses on research that provides new insights into ovarian functions as well as prevention and treatment of diseases afflicting the organ.
Topical areas include, but are not restricted to:
Ovary development, hormone secretion and regulation
Follicle growth and ovulation
Infertility and Polycystic ovarian syndrome
Regulation of pituitary and other biological functions by ovarian hormones
Ovarian cancer, its prevention, diagnosis and treatment
Drug development and screening
Role of stem cells in ovary development and function.
求助内容：
应助结果提醒方式：
京公网安备 11010802042870号
