Activation of Slit2/Robo1 Signaling Promotes Tumor Metastasis in Colorectal Carcinoma through Activation of the TGF-β/Smads Pathway.

Abstract	Slit2 (slit guidance ligand 2), a ligand of the Roundabout1 (Robo1) transmembrane receptor, is often overexpressed in colorectal carcinomas (CRCs). In this study, we performed data mining in the Metabolic gEne RApid Visualizer (MERAV) database and found that Slit2 and TGF-β1 (Transforming growth factor-β1) are highly expressed in carcinomas relative to those in tumor-free tissues from healthy volunteers or wild type mice. Furthermore, expression of Slit2 and TGF-β1 in CRCs increases with pathological stages. Serum levels of Slit2 in patients with CRC and in ApcMin/+ mice with spontaneous intestinal adenoma were significantly increased compared with those in healthy controls. Specific blockage of Slit2 binding to Robo1 inactivated TGF-β/Smads signaling and inhibited tumor cell migration and metastasis, which can be partially restored by treatment with TGF-β1. However, specific inhibition of TGF-β1/Smads signaling reduced CRC tumor cell migration and invasion without affecting cell proliferation. This study suggests that activation of Slit2/Robo1 signaling in CRC induces tumor metastasis partially through activation of the TGF-β/Smads pathway.
Authors	Yuying Yao, Zijun Zhou, Liuyou Li, Junchen Li, Lixun Huang, Jiangchao Li, Cuiling Qi, Lingyun Zheng, Lijing Wang, Qian-Qian Zhang
Journal	Cells (Cells) Vol. 8 Issue 6 (06 25 2019) ISSN: 2073-4409 [Print] Switzerland
PMID	31242633 (Publication Type: Journal Article, Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't)
Chemical References	Intercellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins Nerve Tissue Proteins Receptors, Immunologic Smad Proteins Transforming Growth Factor beta Slit homolog 2 protein
Topics	Animals Cell Line, Tumor Cell Movement Cell Proliferation Colorectal Neoplasms (metabolism, pathology) Humans Intercellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins (metabolism) Mice Neoplasm Invasiveness Neoplasm Metastasis Nerve Tissue Proteins (metabolism) Rats Receptors, Immunologic (metabolism) Signal Transduction Smad Proteins (metabolism) Transforming Growth Factor beta (metabolism) Roundabout Proteins

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