Effects of integrin-linked kinase on protein kinase b, glycogen synthase kinase-3β, and β-catenin molecules in ovarian cancer cells

OBJECTIVE(S): This study examines the impact of integrin-linked kinase (ILK), protein kinase B (AKT), glycogen synthase kinase-3β (GSK-3β), and β-catenin signal molecules in SKOV-3 ovarian cancer cells adhered to fibronectin. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Expression levels of α4, αv, β1, and β6 integrin subunits known as the fibronectin ligand were investigated with the flow cytometry technique. The effects of ILK, AKT, GSK-3β, and β-catenin on the binding of SKOV-3 cells to fibronectin were examined by using the Real-Time Cellular Analysis (RTCA) method. Additionally, the interaction of these proteins was investigated by using Western blot analysis. RESULTS: The results show that the expression levels of integrin subunits were ranked as αv (67.8%), followed by α4 (48.55%), β6 (32.05%), and β1 (31%) on SKOV-3 cells. RTCA results showed that ILK (10 µM Cpd22), GSK-3β (50 μM GSK-3β inhibitor-XI), AKT (35 µM FPA 124), and β-catenin (50 μM cardamonin) inhibitors decreased significantly (P<0.01) binding to fibronectin at 24 hr. Western studies in SKOV-3 cells adhered to fibronectin have shown that in inhibition of ILK, AKT expression was strongly inhibited, whereas, in the inhibition of AKT, ILK expression was strongly inhibited. Furthermore, the expression of β-catenin is partially reduced in inhibition of these two molecules. In β-catenin inhibition, AKT and ILK expressions are also strongly inhibited. CONCLUSION: ILK, AKT, GSK-3β, and β-catenin were found to be fundamental molecules in binding of SKOV-3 cells to fibronectin. ILK and AKT affect strongly the level of expression of each other, and both also affect the signal path of β-catenin.