ABSTRACT
Osteopontin (OPN) is a secreted phosphoprotein that has been associated with malignancy of breast and other cancers. OPN binds to several cell surface integrins including alpha(v)beta(3), alpha(v)beta(5), and alpha(v)beta(1). Although the relative contribution of these integrins to breast cancer cell malignancy is uncertain, correlative studies suggest that alpha(v)beta(3) may be particularly associated with increased tumor aggressiveness. Previously, we reported that tumorigenic, nonmetastatic 21NT mammary carcinoma cells respond to OPN through alpha(v)beta(5) and alpha(v)beta(1) but not alpha(v)beta(3). Here, we determined that 21NT cells lack beta(3) expression, and we asked whether expression of alpha(v)beta(3) could enhance the ability of breast cancer cells to respond to the malignancy-promoting effects of OPN both in vitro and in vivo. 21NT cells stably transfected with beta(3) showed significantly increased adhesion, migration, and invasion to OPN in vitro compared with vector control. To determine if beta(3) could also enhance the response of breast epithelial cells to OPN in vivo, cells stably transfected with both beta(3) and OPN (NT/Obeta(3)) were injected into the mammary fat pad of female nude mice and primary tumor growth was assessed relative to controls. Mice injected with NT/Obeta(3) cells demonstrated a significantly increased primary tumor take (75% of mice) compared with controls (0-12.5% of mice) as well as a decreased tumor doubling time and a decreased tumor latency period. These results suggest that increased expression of the alpha(v)beta(3) integrin during breast cancer progression can make tumor cells more responsive to malignancy-promoting ligands such as OPN and result in increased tumor cell aggressiveness.
Subject(s)
Breast Neoplasms/metabolism , Breast Neoplasms/pathology , Integrin beta3/genetics , Integrin beta3/metabolism , Sialoglycoproteins/metabolism , Sialoglycoproteins/pharmacology , Animals , Blotting, Northern , Breast Neoplasms/genetics , Cell Adhesion/drug effects , Cell Line, Tumor , Cell Movement/drug effects , Female , Flow Cytometry , Humans , Mice , Neoplasm Invasiveness , Neoplasm Transplantation , Osteopontin , Sialoglycoproteins/geneticsABSTRACT
Osteopontin (OPN) is a secreted, integrin-binding glycophosphoprotein that has been implicated in breast cancer. We previously showed that OPN-induced cell migration of mammary epithelial cells (MEC) depends on binding to cell surface integrins and involves activation of the hepatocyte growth factor (HGF) receptor, Met. Here, we show that OPN-induced migration of MEC also requires activation of the epidermal growth factor (EGF) pathway. Synergism was seen between EGF and OPN in inducing cell migration. Furthermore, incubation of cells with exogenous OPN increased ligand (TGFalpha> EGF) and EGF receptor (EGFR) mRNA expression, as well as EGFR kinase activity. Treatment of cells with anti-TGFalpha or anti-EGFR antibody, or with tyrphostin-25 (EGFR inhibitor), significantly impaired the cell migration response to OPN. Other more broad-spectrum tyrosine kinase inhibitors and the growth factor/ receptor interaction inhibitor, suramin, also inhibited OPN-induced migration. Using specific signal transduction pathway inhibitors, we have screened for involvement of MEK (MAP kinase kinase), phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase, phospholipase C (PLC), and protein kinase C (PKC). Results implicated all of these pathways in OPN-induced cell migration, the most pronounced effect being seen with PLC and PKC inhibitors. These results suggest that induction of MEC migration by OPN involves a cascade of events including at least two growth factor/receptor pathways and multiple downstream signal transduction pathways. A number of potential targets are thus provided for strategies aimed at blocking the malignancy-promoting effects of OPN.
