The present invention relates to a method for scanning a
cancer metastasis inhibitor by analyzing the activity of lysyl-tRNA synthetase (KRS) in a
cancer cell line cultured in a three-dimensional
collagen gel environment, and to a method for monitoring the
dissemination of
cancer cells from aggregated cancer cells, and the epithelial-mesenchymal transition, migration, invasion, and
metastasis of cancer cells. Specifically, it was verified that, in the case where a
cell line or a spheroidically aggregated
cell line, in which KRS has been regulated to be expressed or unexpressed, was constructed by using various
colorectal cancer cells including HCT116 cell line and then cultured in a two-dimensional environment, the incomplete epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition
phenotype (incomplete ECM
phenotype) was induced in the cell line inhibiting KRS expression, and the inhibition of KRS expression inhibited cell-
extracellular matrix (ECM) adhesion and cell-ECM signaling activity. In addition, it was verified that, in the case where the constructed
spheroid cell line was cultured in an aqueous environment or a three-dimensional collage gel
culture environment, the inhibition of KRS expression induced cells into mesenchymal cells but failed to reach the disintegration of cell-
cell adhesion; inhibited the cell-ECM adhesion and the related signaling activity, causing the inhibition of the
dissemination of cells from
spheroid cells cultured in a three-dimensional
collagen gel culture environment; and failed to induce the
dissemination of cells through TGFβ1 present in the
cellular microenvironment. Thus, the present invention can be used as a method for screening a
cancer metastasis inhibitor and a method for monitoring the migration, invasion and
metastasis of cancer cells, and will be useful as one of the screening methods capable of creating low-cost, high-efficient added value at the time of pre-
clinical tests required for
drug development.