Quantitative real-time RT-PCR analysis of HEK293 cells stably transfected with PRL-1 (PTP4A1) or empty pcDNA4 vector control.

The protein tyrosine phosphatase PRL-1 (Gene Symbol: PTP4A1) has been identified as an important oncogene with roles in promoting cell proliferation, survival, migration, invasion, and metastasis. However, little is currently known about the signaling pathways through which it mediates its effects. Studies have shown a relationship between PRL-1 and the expression or activity levels of various molecules involved in integrin-mediated cell signaling. These integrin-responsive players can promote re-arrangements in the actin cytoskeleton that are central to cell motility, invasion, and metastasis. Therefore, to investigate the effects of PRL-1 overexpression in human embryonic kidney 293 (HEK293) cells, we used qRT-PCR to examine the expression levels of 184 genes which either were identified by microarray and proteomic analysis to be differentially expressed in response to PRL-1 or have known associations to integrin-mediated signaling, cytoskeletal remodeling, and/or cell motility. Total RNA was extracted from duplicate cultures of HEK293 cells stably overexpressing PRL-1 (HEK293-PRL-1) and HEK293 cells stably transfected with empty pcDNA4 vector (HEK293-Vector). Samples were analyzed using custom TaqMan Array 96-well Plates to examine the expression of 184 genes with known involvement in or association with signaling pathways related to integrin-mediated cell adhesion, cytoskeletal remodeling, and/or cell motility.