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DLG3 通过调控 STAT3 活化促进乳腺癌细胞的增殖和迁移

DLG3 Promotes Breast Cancer Cell Proliferation and Migration by Mediating STAT3 Activation

  • 摘要: 乳腺癌具有高度的异质性,其中侵袭性亚型往往预后不良,并对常规疗法产生耐药。因此,新靶点的发现和策略研究对乳腺癌治疗至关重要。DLG3 (Discs Large Homolog 3)在乳腺癌患者中表达升高,但其在疾病进展中的作用尚不明确。本研究通过生物信息学分析评估DLG3表达对乳腺癌患者的预后意义;通过体外功能增益与功能缺失实验,探讨DLG3对乳腺癌细胞增殖、迁移及克隆形成能力的影响;结合转录组学分析与药物抑制实验,验证其下游信号通路;最后利用动物模型验证DLG3在肿瘤进展中的作用。结果表明,DLG3高表达与乳腺癌患者预后不良相关。在细胞水平上,DLG3过表达显著促进雌激素受体阳性MCF7细胞和三阴性MDA-MB-231细胞的增殖与迁移,而其敲低则抑制这些表型。转录组分析结果显示DLG3促进信号转导及转录激活因子3 (STAT3)信号通路的活化,蛋白质印迹实验进一步证实了该结果。值得注意的是,STAT3抑制剂Stattic可减弱DLG3介导的细胞增殖与迁移,提示DLG3通过STAT3信号发挥促癌功能。体内实验进一步证实DLG3促进肿瘤生长,且该效应与STAT3信号通路的激活相关。本研究揭示DLG3是乳腺癌进展的新驱动因子,通过调控STAT3信号通路活化发挥作用,可作为侵袭性乳腺癌(包括三阴性乳腺癌)潜在的预后生物标志物与治疗靶点。

     

    Abstract: Breast cancer (BRCA) is characterized by high heterogeneity, with aggressive subtypes frequently showing poor prognosis and resistance to conventional therapies, making the discovery of new therapeutic targets and strategies imperative. While elevated expression of Discs Large Homolog 3 (DLG3) has been reported in BRCA, its functional role in disease progression remains unclear. We performed bioinformatic analyses of clinical datasets to evaluate the prognostic significance of DLG3 expression in BRCA patients. In vitro gain- and loss-of-function experiments were conducted to assess the impact of DLG3 on BRCA cell proliferation, migration, and colony formation. Transcriptomic profiling, coupled with pharmacological inhibition, was employed to identify and validate downstream signaling pathways. Additionally, we extended our validation to an in vivo model to assess the role of DLG3 in tumor progression. We found that elevated DLG3 levels correlated with poor prognosis in breast cancer patients. Functionally, DLG3 overexpression significantly promoted cell proliferation and migration in estrogen receptor-positive MCF7 and triple-negative MDA-MB-231 breast cancer cells, whereas its knockdown suppressed these effects. Transcriptomic analyses revealed that DLG3 activates Signal Transducer and Activator of Transcription 3 (STAT3) signaling, a finding further corroborated by Western blot. Critically, treatment with the STAT3 inhibitor Stattic attenuated DLG3-driven proliferation and migration, supporting a DLG3–STAT3 oncogenic axis. Furthermore, in vivo studies validated the role of DLG3 in promoting tumor growth and its correlation with elevated STAT3 signaling, consistent with our in vitro findings. Our findings establish DLG3 as a novel driver of breast cancer progression that directly activates STAT3 signaling. DLG3 thus represents both a potential prognostic biomarker and a promising therapeutic target for aggressive breast cancer subtypes, including triple-negative breast cancer.

     

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