Identification of Neural Crest and Neural Crest-Derived Cancer Cell Invasion and Migration Genes Using High-throughput Screening and Deep Attention Networks

BackgroundCell migration and invasion are well-coordinated processes in development and disease but remain poorly understood. We previously showed that highly migratory neural crest (NC) cells share a 45-gene panel with other cell invasion phenomena, including cancer. To identify critical genes of the 45-gene panel, we performed a high-throughput siRNA screen and used statistical and deep learning methods to compare NC- versus non-NC-derived human cell lines. ResultsWe find 14 out of 45 genes significantly reduces c8161 melanoma cell migration; only 4 are shared with HT1080 fibrosarcoma cells (BMP4, ITGB1, KCNE3, RASGRP1). Deep learning attention network analysis identified distinct cell-cell interaction patterns and significant alterations after BMP4 or RASGRP1 knockdown in c8161 cells. Addition of recombinant proteins to the culture media identified 5 out of the 10 known secreted molecules stimulate c8161 cell migration, including BMP4. BMP4 siRNA knockdown inhibited c8161 cell invasion in vivo and in vitro; however, its addition to the culture media rescued c8161 cell invasion. ConclusionA high-throughput screen and deep learning rapidly distilled a 45-gene panel to a small subset of genes that appear critical to melanoma cell invasion and warrant deeper in vivo functional analysis for their role in driving the neural crest.