Ehm2 transcript variant 1 inhibits breast cancer progression and increases E-cadherin stability

• Published in: Carcinogenesis (New York) Vol. 43; no. 12; pp. 1110 - 1120
• Main Authors: Yin, Xin, Li, Gen, Fan, Dongwei, Ge, Zhicheng, Yang, Tianshu, Shang, Yaxin, Ma, Tianyu, Yuan, Baowen, Huang, Wei, Teng, Xu, Yu, Hefen
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: England Oxford University Press 31.12.2022
• Subjects: Biology, Genetics and Epigenetics; Breast Neoplasms - genetics; Breast Neoplasms - metabolism; Cadherins; Cell Line, Tumor; Cell Movement - genetics; Female; Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic; Humans; MCF-7 Cells
• ISSN: 0143-3334; 1460-2180
• DOI: 10.1093/carcin/bgac076

Ehm2/1, an Ehm2 transcript variant, regulates the cytoskeleton by binding to plasma membrane proteins. However, the role of Ehm2/1 in breast cancer development remains poorly understood. This study shows that, the expression of Ehm2/1 was decreased in breast cancer and that patients with low Ehm2/1 expression had a significantly poorer prognosis than those with high expression of Ehm2/1. Overexpression of Ehm2/1 in MCF-7 breast cancer cells inhibited cell migration and invasion. Ehm2/1 markedly increased the stability and half-life of E-cadherin. Moreover, Ehm2/1 was collocated with E-cadherin in the plasma membrane of MCF-7 cells. Furthermore, downregulation of Ehm2/1 promoted ubiquitination of E-cadherin, whereas overexpression of Ehm2/1 inhibited ubiquitination of E-cadherin. These results suggest that Ehm2/1 could suppress the migration and invasion of breast cancer cells by increasing E-cadherin stability.