Functional study of MAPK7 gene, proposed as a prognostic marker in osteosarcoma.

Abstract

Introduction: Osteossarcoma (OS) is a malignant bone tumor that presents high incidence in children and adolescents. At diagnosis, the presence of metastases is a decisive factor. Thus, the research focus has turned to a better understanding about the basic biology of the OS. In a previous study from our group, we observed that the increase of MAPK7 gene expression is strongly associated with clinical parameters contributing to a worse response to treatment and, consequently, lower overall survival. Based on these findings, we suggest that the MAPK7 gene could be a possible prognostic marker in OS and that the changes in expression levels of this important kinase is involved in cell signaling pathways and might be contributing to the aggressiveness and progression of OS. Objective: Taking these results, this study aim to assess MAPK7 gene function in two osteossarcoma cell lines (MG-63 and U2OS) using techniques that could show the real role of MAPK7 gene in this tumor. Materials and Methods: To assess whether the increased expression of the MAPK7 gene is due to some mutation, we will perform the gene sequencing of OS specimens and cell lines of OS. We will use the Silencer ® Select Validated siRNA (Ambion) for MAPK7gene silencing and later we will carry out assays to evaluated cell viability, proliferation, apoptosis, migration and invasion in cells silenced and not silenced so that we can elucidate the role of the MAPK7 gene as a possible prognostic marker in OS.