Meanwhile, the increase of CCR7 chemokine receptor expression promotes tumor growth and metastasis. When the latter effect is prominent, the Danusertib molecular weight tumor disseminates. Under normal conditions, CCR7 is expressed on T cells. When malignancy occurs, the neoplastic T cell may enhance the expression of CCR7. The differential expression of CCL21 by endothelial cells might explain at least one part of this process. Our results support the chemotaxis theory that CCL21 expression co-mediates the dissemination of primary tumors to different organs [19]. Epacadostat mw Hasegawa [20] found that adult T cell leukemia/lymphoma (ATLL) cells with high CCR7 expression have increased directional migration capability toward CCL21, which

suggests that CCR7 expression may facilitate ATLL cell movement to the high endothelial vein of lymph nodes with abundant

CCL21, and then to metastasis. The influence of CCL21 on lymphatic dissemination (compared ACP-196 datasheet with hematogenous) has not been investigated thus far, but CCL21 is also highly expressed in lymph nodes, and CCR7 inhibition results in suppression of breast cancer lymph node metastases, which implies similar pathways for lymphatic and hematogenous dissemination [10]. PI3K/Akt, an intracellular signal pathway, plays a role in the invasion of many malignant tumors. Whether PI3K/Akt participates in the invasion and metastasis of T cell lymphomas induced by CCR7 and if a relationship exists between them remains unclear. The PI3K/Akt signal pathway was first found in the 1990′s. The catalysate of PI3K can participate in cellular proliferation, living, differentiation, and migration [21]. Receptor protein tyrosine kinase (RPTK) activation results in PI(3,4,5)P(3) and PI(3,4)P(2) production by PI3K at the inner side of the plasma membrane. Akt interacts with these phospholipids, causing its translocation to the inner membrane, where it is phosphorylated and activated by PDK1 and PDK2. The activated Akt

modulates the function of numerous substrates which are involved in the regulation of cell survival, cell cycle progression, and cellular growth. Several studies have proven that Akt expression is excessively upregulated in also many malignant tumors, such as thyroid carcinomas, gliomas, breast carcinomas, pulmonary carcinomas, and so on [22–26]. As a protein kinase, Akt is activated through phosphorylation. The upregulation of Akt protein may promote oncogenesis and tumor growth. The expression level of phosphorylated-Akt is the indicator of the kinase activity. In our experiment, the expression levels of PI3K mRNA, Akt mRNA, and p-Akt protein in Hut 78 cells were higher than that in Jurkat cells. The Hut 78 cells were more invasive than the Jurkat cells. The invasiveness of T-NHL is associated with the CCR7 expression. CCR7 is a transmembrane receptor of GTP-protein. CCR7 may activate Akt and the PI3K/Akt signal pathway to promote cell proliferation and spread.