Fig. 4
From: Activin and TGFβ use diverging mitogenic signaling in advanced colon cancer
Activin and TGFβ use distinct mitogenic signaling to affect SMAD4- independent migration. Activin and TGFβ are both inducers of migration independent of SMAD4. ACVR2A/TGFBR2 wild type FET cells, FET with SMAD4 knockdown, and the SMAD4-null colon cancer cell line SW480 were seeded in transwell plates, serum starved, and pretreated with pharmacological inhibitors of PI3K (LY 290042) or MEK (U0126). Activin and TGFβ-induced migration is SMAD4-independent. Activin-induced migration is decreased in the absence of PI3K signaling and TGFβ-induced migration is MEK/ERK dependent. Inserts show representative fields with migrated FET cells. Graph shows data from 4 independently performed experiments (*p < 0.05 Activin versus Activin + LY; #p < 0.05 TGFβ versus TGFβ + U0126)