Transactivation of lifeguard (LFG) by Akt-/LEF-1 pathway in MCF-7 and MDA-MB 231 human breast cancer cells

Lifeguard (LFG) has been identified as a molecule that uniquely inhibits death mediated by Fas. The molecular function of human LFG and its regulation in carcinogenesis is uncertain. In our study, we investigated the potential regulation of LFG expression by Akt/LEF-1 pathway. The Glycogen synthase kinase-3 (GSK3) can be regulated by different signaling pathways including those mediated by protein kinase Akt. Inhibition of GSK3β subunits activity results in the stabilisation of the β-catenin protein and its accumulation in the nucleus, where it associates with members of the TCF/LEF-1 family of transcription factors to mediate gene transcription. In Western blots, RT–PCR and by small interfering RNA directed against LEF-1, we demonstrated that LFG expression correlates with GSK3β and LEF-1 activation. Moreover, we showed that LFG mRNA was down-regulated after transfection with siRNA against LEF-1 in MDA-MB-231 cells. Our results therefore identify LFG as a target of the Akt/LEF-1 pathway in MDA-MB-231 breast tumour cells, a regulation which could play a key role in breast tumour progression.