Human ovarian cancer cell morphology, motility, and proliferation are differentially influenced by autocrine TGFβ superfamily signalling

TGF beta superfamily signalling participates in normal and pathophysiologic cellular processes. Despite several reports demonstrating active TGF beta superfamily signalling pathways in OvCa cell lines and primary cultures, few studies examine their functional outcome. Herein we show that primary human ovarian cancer cells possess intact autocrine BMP, TGF beta and activin signalling. Blocking autocrine signalling resulted in differential cellular responses affecting cellular morphology, motility and proliferation. Additionally, BMP4-induced alterations in morphology and motility are dependent on Smad signalling. These results suggest that a balance between BMP and TGF beta/activin signalling may be altered to favour BMP signalling during ovarian cancer metastatic progression. (C) 2011 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.