A small interfering RNA screen for modulators of tumor cell motility identifies MAP4K4 as a promigratory kinase.

Cell motility is a complex biological process, involved in development, inflammation, homeostasis, and pathological processes such as the invasion and metastatic spread of cancer. Here, we describe a genomic screen designed to identify inhibitors of cell migration. A library of 10,996 small interfering RNAs (targeting 5,234 human genes) was screened for their ability to block the migration of a highly motile ovarian carcinoma cell line, SKOV-3, by using a 384-well wound-healing assay coupled with automated microscopy and wound quantification.