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Role of EGFL7/EGFR-signaling pathway in migration and invasion of growth hormone-producing pituitary adenomas

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Abstract

Currently, the primary therapeutic strategy for most growth hormone-producing pituitary adenomas (GHPA) is surgery. Due to the invasiveness of GHPA, high recurrence has limited the benefit of complete adenoma removal surgery. Epidermal growth factor-like domain 7 (EGFL7) is a secreted factor implicated in tumor angiogenesis, growth, invasiveness and metastasis in GHPA. Herein, we observed that the expression level of EGFL7 and p-EGFR in invasive GHPA was much higher than that of non-invasive GHPA. The overexpression of EGFL7 was positively correlated with activation of EGFR (p-EGFR). Noticeably, EGFL7 knockdown significantly inhibited activation of EGFR signaling cascades, including p-ERGR, p-AKT and p-ERK. Further studies showed that EGFL7 knockdown or pharmacological inhibition of EGFR-pathway, using EGFR inhibitor Tyrphostin AG-1478, significantly suppressed migration and invasion of GH3 and GT1-1 cells. In summary, our findings suggest that EGFL7 is a key factor for regulation of EGFR signaling pathway and plays an important role in migration and invasion of invasive GHPA.

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Acknowledgements

This work was supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (81502154), Research Special Fund For Public Welfare Industry of Health of China (201402008) and National High Technology Research and Development Program of China (2015AA020504).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Beijing Neurosurgical Institute, Capital Medical University, Beijing, 100500, China

    Qian Liu, Junwen Zhang, Hua Gao & Yazhuo Zhang

  2. Beijing Tiantan Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, 100050, China

    Taoyang Yuan, Jie Kang, Lu Jin, Songbai Gui & Yazhuo Zhang

  3. Key Laboratory of Central Nervous System Injury Research, Beijing Institute for Brain Disorders Brain Tumor Center, China National Clinical Research Center for Neurological Diseases, Capital Medical University, Beijing, 100050, China

    Qian Liu, Hua Gao & Yazhuo Zhang

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  1. Qian Liu
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  2. Junwen Zhang
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  3. Hua Gao
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  4. Taoyang Yuan
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  5. Jie Kang
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  6. Lu Jin
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Correspondence to Yazhuo Zhang.

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Liu, Q., Zhang, J., Gao, H. et al. Role of EGFL7/EGFR-signaling pathway in migration and invasion of growth hormone-producing pituitary adenomas. Sci. China Life Sci. 61, 893–901 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11427-018-9320-4

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11427-018-9320-4

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