C4orf7 contributes to ovarian cancer metastasis by promoting cancer cell migration and invasion

Gene C4orf7, renamed FDC-SP (follicular dendritic cell secreted protein, FDC-SP) was first isolated from human tonsils. Up to the present, the function of this gene was still poorly understood. In this study, we report the expression of gene C4orf7 in a panel of tumor types. The percentages of C4orf7 positive expression in the tumor patients with metastases were notably higher than those in the cancer without metastases. On the contrary, the expression was hardly noted in normal tissues and corresponding benign lesions. In vitro, the up-regulation of C4orf7 in ovarian cancer cell lines was associated with enhanced motility and invasiveness. Furthermore, the overexpression of C4orf7 resulted in Akt ser473 phosphorylation and decreased E-cadherin expression. The role of C4orf7 in ovarian cancer cell morphology, motility and invasion was demonstrated.