The addition of VEGF, IGF-1, and IL-8 weakened the inhibitory effect of DIRAS3 on ERK/AKT activity and reduced DIRAS3-mediated TFEB or FOXo3a nuclear localization and MAPLC3B expression in ovarian cancer cells.
DIRAS3 is downregulated in many tumor types, including ovarian cancer, where re-expression inhibits cancer cell growth, reduces motility, promotes tumor dormancy and induces macroautophagy/autophagy.
We suggest that DIRAS3 not only regulates the AIC, but induces autophagy in dormant, nutrient-deprived ovarian cancer cells that remain after conventional chemotherapy, facilitating their survival.
The mRNA expression of the RUNX3 and ARHI genes in normal ovaries and ovarian tumors was determined using reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR).