nm23-H1 reduces in vitro cell migration and the liver metastatic potential of colon cancer cells by regulating myosin light chain phosphorylation

The nm23-H1 gene is known as a potential metastasis suppressor gene in various types of carcinomas. However, the role of nm23-H1 in colorectal carcinoma still remains controversial and the cellular mechanisms by which its protein may modulate the metastatic phenotype are not yet known. We transfected nm23-H1 cDNA into the human colon cancer cell line, HT-29, to test the effects and cellular biological mechanism of nm23 protein in colon cancer. We found that nm23-H1 strongly inhibited the liver metastasis of HT-29 cells in nude mice and inhibited the epidermal growth factor (EGF)-induced cell migration in vitro. Furthermore, we clarified the regulation of the myosin light chain (MLC) phosphorylation by nm23-H1, which has been demonstrated as having potential role in cell migration.