BDNF activates TrkB/PLCγ1 signaling pathway to promote proliferation and invasion of ovarian cancer cells through inhibition of apoptosis

OBJECTIVE: Abnormal expression and activation of tropomyosin-related kinase receptor B (TrkB) are observed in many pathological conditions, including many types of cancer. We try to explore the relationship between ovarian cancer and Brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), a ligand of TrkB. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Human ovarian cancer cell line SKOV-3 was used in this study. qPCR, immunohistochemistry, and immunoblot were used to assay BDNF and TrkB expression level. Scratch assay was used to test the cell motility, and transwell assay was used to test the cell migration ability. RESULTS: We found that BDNF promotes the proliferation and invasion of human ovarian cancer SKOV-3 cells depend on the activation of TrkB. To illuminate the downstream pathway of BDNF/TrkB, we silenced AKT1 and PLC gamma 1 by siRNA. The functional assay showed that activated PLC gamma 1 signaling pathway is necessary for the proliferation and invasion of cancer cells other than the AKT pathway. Further study showed that PLC gamma 1 could inhibit the apoptosis of cancer cells. CONCLUSIONS: BDNF triggers TrkB/PLC gamma 1 signaling pathway to promote proliferation and invasion of ovarian cancer cells through inhibition of apoptosis.