CK20 Expression Enhances the Invasiveness of Tamoxifen-resistant MCF-7 Cells

Abstract

Cytokeratin 20 (CK20) is an intermediate filament that is known to be a prognostic marker in several types of cancer. However, little is known about CK20 expression and tumor metastasis in tamoxifen-resistant MCF-7 (TRM-7) breast cancer cells. TRM-7 cells overexpress CK20, resulting in enhanced invasiveness in vitro. CK20 silencing reduced the invasiveness of TRM-7 cells. Moreover, CK20 expression in MCF-7 cells was regulated by peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma (PPAR gamma). Our findings suggest that PPAR gamma-dependent CK20 expression enhances the metastatic potential of MCF-7 breast cancer cells and may be a potential therapeutic target in tamoxifen-resistant breast cancer.