Stratifin (SFN) Regulates Cervical Cancer Cell Proliferation, Apoptosis, and Cytoskeletal Remodeling and Metastasis Progression Through LIMK2/Cofilin Signaling

• Published in: Molecular biotechnology 2024-11, Vol.66 (11), p.3369-3381
• Main Authors: Du, Naiyi, Li, Daojuan, Zhao, Wei, Liu, Yakun
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: 14-3-3 Proteins - genetics; 14-3-3 Proteins - metabolism; Actin; Actin Depolymerizing Factors - genetics; Actin Depolymerizing Factors - metabolism; Apoptosis; Biochemistry; Biological Techniques; Biotechnology; Cancer; Cell Biology; Cell culture; Cell growth; Cell Line, Tumor; Cell migration; Cell Movement; Cell Proliferation; Cervical cancer; Cervical carcinoma; Chemistry; Chemistry and Materials Science; Cofilin; Cytoskeleton; Cytoskeleton - metabolism; Exoribonucleases; Female; Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic; Human Genetics; Humans; Immunofluorescence; Lim Kinases - genetics; Lim Kinases - metabolism; Metastases; Metastasis; Neoplasm Metastasis; Original Paper; Protein Science; Signal Transduction; Squamous cell carcinoma; Stratifin; Uterine Cervical Neoplasms - genetics; Uterine Cervical Neoplasms - metabolism; Uterine Cervical Neoplasms - pathology; Western blotting
• ISSN: 1073-6085; 1559-0305; 1559-0305
• DOI: 10.1007/s12033-023-00946-1

The aberrant expression of Stratifin (SFN) is intricately associated with the initiation and progression of numerous tumors. This study aims to investigate whether SFN regulates the metastasis of cervical cancer cells through the LIMK2/Cofilin signaling pathway. In this study, we compared the expression of SFN in normal cervical tissues and cervical carcinoma tissues. We established SFN overexpression and SFN silencing cellular models to assess the invasive and migratory capabilities of cervical cancer cells using transwell and scratch assays. YO-PRO-1/PI and EdU staining were employed to evaluate apoptotic and proliferative capacities, while Actin-Tracker Green-488 was utilized to investigate cytoskeletal remodeling. The expression levels of SFN, LIMK2, p-LIMK2, Cofilin, and p-Cofilin were examined through Western blotting and immunofluorescence. Our findings revealed elevated expression of SFN in cervical squamous cell carcinoma tissues. SFN overexpression was observed to enhance invasion and migration of cervical cancer cells, induce cytoskeletal remodeling, facilitate cell proliferation, and suppress apoptosis. Furthermore, SFN overexpression upregulated the expression levels of LIMK2, p-LIMK2, Cofilin, and p-Cofilin. Conversely, silencing SFN exerted opposite effects. SFN plays an important role in the diagnosis of cervical cancer. SFN can regulate cervical cancer cell proliferation, apoptosis, cytoskeletal remodeling and metastasis through LIMK2/Cofilin signaling.