The role of semaphorin 7A and its receptor plexin C1 in the migration of NSCLC cells

Abstract

We aim to explore the role of semaphorin 7A (SEMA7A) and its receptor plexin C1 in the migration of NSCLC cells. In the present study, expression of SEMA7A and plexin C1 in A549 cells and H1299 cells were detected by western blot. The effect of interaction between SEMA7A and plexin C1 in cell migration and migration related signaling pathway was detected using recombinant SEMA7A and plexin C1 small interfering RNA (siRNA). Both cells showed an increase in SEMA7A and plexin C1 expression compared with normal alveolar epithelial cells. In addition, SEMA7A activated tumor migration by increasing phosphorylation of its related protein FAK, LIMKII and actin-binding protein cofilin, which are also downstream targets of plexin C1. However, SEMA7A failed to activate cell migration and its related protein FAK, LIMKII and cofilin when plexin C1 was silenced. These results suggest that the interaction between SEMA7A and plexin C1 promoted migration of A549 cells and H1299 cells and this effect worked through actin-binding protein cofilin signaling activation.