Zeitschrift für molekulare Biomarker und Diagnose

Effect of Silencing Neutrophil Gelatinase-Associated Lipocalin in Ovarian Cancer Cells on Epithelio-Mesenchymal Transition

Abstract

Ratana Lim, Martha Lappas, Nuzhat Ahmed, Niels Borregaard, Michael A. Quinn and Gregory E. Rice

Objectives: Previously, we reported that neutrophil gelatinase-associated lipocalin (NGAL) is present in epithelial ovarian cancer cells, but not mesenchymal cancer cells. Furthermore, we reported that epithelial growth factor (EGF) induced epithelio-mesenchymal transition (EMT) in epithelial ovarian cancer cells and concomitantly suppressed NGAL expression. We hypothesised that inhibition of NGAL expression induces EMT in these cells.

Methods: NGAL knockdown was achieved using siRNA in ovarian cancer cell line OVCA 429. NGAL siRNAtreated cells [n=3] were assayed for EMT markers such as migration and invasion assays, and E-cadherin, N-cadherin, Snail, ?-catenin and vimentin expression by Western blot.

Results: There were no significant differences between NGAL siRNA-treated cells and controls for the protein markers. There was an increase in cell migration for NGAL siRNA-treated cells compared to control (96 h post transfection), however there was no change in cell invasiveness between treatments.

Conclusions: We conclude that direct NGAL inhibition by siRNA does not induce a mesenchymal transition of ovarian cancer cells.