Targeting migration inducting gene-7 inhibits carcinoma cell invasion, early primary tumor growth, and stimulates monocyte oncolytic activity.

Expression of Migration inducting gene-7 (Mig-7) is limited to tumor cells and to date not found in normal tissues. Multiple tumor microenvironment factors, such as epidermal and hepatocyte growth factors, in concert with alphavbeta5 integrin ligation, induce Mig-7 mRNA expression. Gain or loss of Mig-7 protein studies shows that Mig-7 promotes invasion of colon and endometrial carcinoma cells.

Translation of an atypical human cDNA requires fidelity of apurine-pyrimidine repeat region and recoding.

Gain or loss of Migration inducting gene-7 (Mig-7) protein expression functional studies suggest it causes aggressive tumor cell invasion and tumor cell vessel-like structure formation. In addition, Mig-7 expression is apparently carcinoma and trophoblast cell-specific. Mig-7 is an example of an atypical gene that is unique in its induction, translation and apparent carcinoma-specific expression.

Overexpression of carcinoma and embryonic cytotrophoblast cell-specific Mig-7 induces invasion and vessel-like structure formation.

Molecular requirements for carcinoma cell interactions with the microenvironment are critical for disease progression but are poorly understood. Integrin alpha v beta 5, which senses the extracellular matrix, is important for carcinoma cell dissemination in vivo. alpha v beta 5 signaling induces Mig-7, a novel human gene product that is apparently carcinoma-specific.