Tumor suppressor BLU inhibits proliferation of nasopharyngeal carcinoma cells by regulation of cell cycle, c-Jun N-terminal kinase and the cyclin D1 promoter
<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Tumor suppressor genes function to regulate and block tumor cell proliferation. To explore the mechanisms underlying the tumor suppression of <it>BLU</it>/<it>ZMYND10</it> gene on a frequently lost human chromosomal region, an adenoviral vector with <it>BLU</it> cDNA insert was constructed.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p><it>BLU</it> was re-expressed in nasopharyngeal carcinoma cells by transfection or viral infection. Clonogenic growth was assayed; cell cycle was analyzed by flow cytometry-based DNA content detection; c-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK) and cyclin D1 promoter activities were measured by reporter gene assay, and phosphorylation was measured by immunoblotting. The data for each pair of groups were compared with Student <it>t</it> tests.</p> <p>Results</p> <p><it>BLU</it> inhibits clonogenic growth of nasopharyngeal carcinoma cells, arrests cell cycle at G1 phase, downregulates JNK and cyclin D1 promoter activities, and inhibits phosphorylation of c-Jun.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p><it>BLU</it> inhibits growth of nasopharyngeal carcinoma cells by regulation of the JNK-cyclin D1 axis to exert tumor suppression.</p
