Overexpression of activin receptor-like kinase 7 in breast cancer cells is associated with decreased cell growth and adhesion

Aim: To examine the expression and function of activin receptor-like kinase 7 (ALK7) in breast cancer, its association with disease prognosis, and its impact on breast cancer cell function. Patients and Methods: A cohort of patients with breast cancer were examined for ALK7 expression in association with pathological and clinical aspects. In vitro cell assays of ALK7 were investigated using an expression plasmid. Results: Overall higher levels of ALK7 transcripts were seen in the breast cancer samples vs. normal tissue. However, within the cancer cohort, lower levels of ALK7 transcript were associated with poor prognosis. Patients with lower expression of ALK7 also had shorter survival. Overexpression of ALK7 reduced proliferation and adhesion of breast cancer cells in vitro. We found that overexpressed ALK7 had complex effects on the MCF-7 cell sensitivity to chemotherapy drugs. Conclusion: Decreased expression of ALK7 in breast cancer is correlated with poor prognosis. ALK7 is a negative regulator of adhesion and proliferation of breast cancer cells. This suggests that ALK7 is a potential tumor suppressor in breast cancer