Tunicamycin via ER stress mediated 6th hour time point aggravates cell migration, cell invasion and cell proliferation in colonic epithelial cells

Abstract

Endoplasmic reticular stress (ERS) has been well-documented in escalating metastasis in clinical conditions. There has been a debate on its role in cancer portraying it as a double-edged sword. However, there is no evidence of increased cell migration and cell invasion under increased ERS by tunicamycin (TUN) 10 ​μg/mL. In this study, we treated colonic epithelial cells (LS174T cells)withTUN and measured cell proliferation (by Ki67+ assay), cell migration and cell invasion at the 6th hour specifically.Our results have demonstrated a positive correlation between TUN and cell migration, cell invasion, and proliferation. TUN treatment has significantly escalated cell invasion, migration and proliferation in LS174T cells at 6th hour time point making it aggressive.These preliminary results clearly suggest thatTUN might promote metastasis of gastrointestinal cancers in preclinical or clinical setting.

Keywords

• Colorectal cancer
• LS174T cells
• Cancer progression
• Unfolded protein response
• Metastasis
• Migration