# UBXN2A represses migration and invasion of colorectal cancer cells

> **NIH NIH R03** · UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH DAKOTA · 2020 · $73,500

## Abstract

Abstract
Title: UBXN2A represses migration and invasion of colorectal cancer cells.
This project focuses on UBXN2A, which is a ubiquitin-like (UBX) domain-containing protein with
potent tumor suppressor functions in colorectal cancer (CRC). We showed that induction of
UBXN2A decreases colon xenograft growth rate by 50%, and heterozygous disruption of
UBXN2A in mice is sufficient to promote tumorigenesis. At the cellular level, our results indicate
that UBXN2A has a major inhibitory effect on tumor cell migration and invasion. Thus, UBXN2A
may have a dominant anti-cancer effect by dual-targeting primary tumors as well as signaling
pathways associated with tumor metastasis. The objective of this application is twofold; the first
objective is to identify the UBXN2A's regulatory function in the mTORC2/pAKT signaling pathway
during cancer cell migration and invasion. The second objective is to understand UBXN2A's anti-
cancer mechanisms during colon cancer cell invasion/migration in an orthotopic colon cancer
mouse model that mimics human CRC metastasis. Because our protein array data showed that
50% of CRC tumors have low levels of UBXN2A, the long-term goal of this proposal is to develop
a new therapeutic strategy for patients with CRC using UBXN2A as a target for therapy. Based
on our published results and preliminary data, our central hypothesis will be tested in two specific
aims: 1) Determine whether loss of UBXN2A is sufficient to enhance migration and invasion in
metastatic colon cancer cells in a mTORC2/pAKT-dependent manner, and 2) Examine the
inhibitory effect of UBXN2A induction on human colorectal tumor invasion and metastasis in an
orthotopic CRC mouse model. The designed in vitro and in vivo experiments and available Tet-
on controllable expression cell lines as well as our 3D ultrasound imaging technique in live animals
will be a powerful approach for gaining new mechanistic insight into the role of UBXN2A in the
regulation of CRC metastasis and assessing the therapeutic potential of UBXN2A in patients with
CRC.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 9910369
- **Project number:** 5R03CA223935-02
- **Recipient organization:** UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH DAKOTA
- **Principal Investigator:** Khosrow Samuel Rezvani
- **Activity code:** R03 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2020
- **Award amount:** $73,500
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 2019-04-08 → 2022-03-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/9910369

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 9910369, UBXN2A represses migration and invasion of colorectal cancer cells (5R03CA223935-02). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-27 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/9910369. Licensed CC0.

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