EF Hand Protein IBA2 Promotes Cell Proliferation in Breast Cancers via Transcriptional Control of Cyclin D1

EF hand (EFh) domain-containing proteins have been implicated in malignant progression, but their precise functional contributions are uncertain. Here, we report evidence that the EFh protein IBA2 promotes the proliferation of breast cancer cells by facilitating their transit through the G1-S cell-cycle transition. Mechanistic investigations revealed that IBA2 acted at the transcriptional level to promote the expression of the critical cell-cycle regulator cyclin D1. Clinically, we found that levels of IBA2 were significantly upregulated in breast cancer specimens, where its expression correlated positively with histologic grade. Our results suggest a key role for IBA2 in mammary tumorigenesis. (C) 2016 AACR.