Objective: To explore the influences of the restoration of neural adhesion molecule NECL1 on the morphology, migration, and invasion of NECL1-deficient glioma cell lines.
Methods: Scratch and Transwell assays were used to observe the cell migration and invasion, the activities of extracellular metalloproteinases were measured, and the cell morphology was observed. Astrocytes marker glial fibrillary acidic protein was detected by Western blot after the restoration of NECL1 in glioma U251 cell line.
Results: In NECL1-deficient U251 glioma cell lines, migration and invasion were inhibited. The U251 cells was differentiated potentially to astrocytes, and glial fibrillary acidic protein was up-regulated after the restoration of the NECL1 expression.
Conclusion: As a potential tumor repressor, the neural adhesion molecule NECL1 can inhibit the migration and invasion of glioma cell and induces its differentiation.