OCT4 controls mitotic spindle function and inactivates the RB tumor suppressor pathway to enhance high-grade serous ovarian cancer aggressiveness. Homo sapiens

The transcription factor OCT4 orchestrates self-renewal gene expression signatures in embryonic stem cells and cancer cells. We show that OCT4 enhances HG-SOC aggressiveness by promoting the inactivation of the Retinoblastoma pathway and mediating mitotic stability by driving the expression of Chromosomal Passenger Complex in HG-SOC. Our data show that OCT4 has an unprecedented role in enforcing mitotic stability and controlling the RB tumorsuppressor pathway in human cancer cells. Overall design: Ovcar3 cell lines were transfected with control or Oct4 siRNA, Rb1 siRNA, or Ccnf siRNA + Nipp1 siRNA. The study comprises three experimental conditions and the control cell lines, each in triplicate.