Vesicle amine transport protein-1 (VAT-1) is upregulated in glioblastomas and promotes migration
- Neuropathol Appl Neurobiol. 2009 Aug;35(4):342-52. doi: 10.1111/j.1365-2990.2009.00993.x.
- 1. Institute of Neuropathology, University Hospital Muenster, Muenster, Germany.
Aim: Diffuse invasion of single-glioma cells is the main obstacle to successful therapy of these tumours. After identifying vesicle amine transport protein-1 (VAT-1) as being upregulated in invasive human gliomas, we study its possible function in Glioblastoma cell migration.
Methods: Based on data obtained from previous oligonucleotide arrays, we investigated expression of VAT-1 in Glioblastoma tissue and cell lines on mRNA levels using Reverse Transcriptase PCR. Furthermore, we examined the amount and localization of VAT-1 protein using immunoblotting and immunohistochemistry. Using small interfering RNA technology we repressed VAT-1 expression in human Glioma cell lines and analysed their migration using wound healing and transwell migration assays.
Results: Increased VAT-1 mRNA and protein levels were found in Glioblastoma tissues and cell lines compared with normal human brain. Small interfering RNA-mediated VAT-1 knockdown led to significantly reduced migration of human Glioma cells.
Conclusions: VAT-1 is overexpressed in glioblastomas and functionally involved in Glioma cell migration, representing a new component involved in Glioma invasion