NK1R antagonist decreases inflammation and metastasis of breast carcinoma cells metastasized to liver but not to brain; phenotype-dependent therapeutic and toxic consequences.

Substance P a neuro-immune mediator acts on Neurokinin-1 and -2 receptors (NK1R and NK2R). Inhibitors of NK1R are considered to be safe and effective approaches for cancer treatment since Aprepitant, a non-peptide antagonist of NK1R is widely used for chemotherapy-induced emesis and has cytotoxic and antitumor effects in various models for cancer. On the other hand, our previous findings demonstrated that systemic inhibition of NK1R may decrease cytotoxic anti-tumoral immune response. Hence, actual consequences of inhibition of neurokinin receptors under in vivo conditions in a syngeneic model of carcinoma should be determined. The effects of highly potent and selective non-peptide mouse NK1R and NK2R antagonists RP 67580 and GR 159897, respectively, on metastatic breast carcinoma were evaluated. Specifically, 4T1 breast cancer cells metastasized to brain (denoted as 4TBM) and liver (denoted as 4TLM) were used to induce tumors in Balb-c mice. Changes in tumor growth, metastasis and immune response to cancer cells were determined. We here observed differential effects of NK1R antagonist depended on the subset of metastatic cells. Specifically, inhibition of NK1R markedly increased liver metastasis of tumors formed by 4TBM but not 4TLM cells. On the contrary, NK1R antagonist decreased inflammatory response and liver metastasis in 4TLM-injected mice. 4TLM tumors act more aggressively inducing more inflammatory response compared to 4TBM tumors. Hence, differential effects of NK1R antagonist are at least partly due to extend and type of the inflammatory response evoked by specific subset metastatic cells. These findings demonstrate the necessity for understanding the immunological consequences of tumor-microenvironment interactions.

Differential consequences of neurokinin receptor 1 and 2 antagonists in metastatic breast carcinoma cells; Effects independent of Substance P.

INTRODUCTION: The biological action of Substance P (SP) is mediated mainly by NK-1 receptors (NK1R) followed by NK2 receptors (NK2R). Aberrant expression of NK1R and NK2R has been identified in various carcinomas. The role of Substance P and its receptors, especially NK2R in cancer progression is not entirely known and there are conflicting results in the literature demonstrating the need for further investigation. In the current study, we examined the effects of SP and antagonists selective for the NK1R and NK2R in breast carcinoma cells metastasize to vital organs. METHODS: The effects of highly potent and selective non-peptide mouse NK1R and NK2R antagonists RP 67,580 and GR 159897, respectively, as well as SP and SP methyl ester, on both metastatic (4THM, 4TBM, 4TLM, 4T1) and non-metastatic (67NR) breast cancer cells were determined. RESULTS: NK1R and NK2R were over expressed in metastatic breast cells compared to non-metastatic cells. The NK1R antagonist at a 30 µM dose inhibited cell growth and induced cell death in metastatic cells while enhancing phosphorylation of Akt, the latter response not observed in the non-metastatic 67NR cells. Blocking the action of SP at the NK2R (30 µM antagonist) suppressed cellular proliferation in all the cell lines examined, with a response less prominent than that of the NK1R antagonist. Differently, the NK2R antagonist increased phosphorylation of p38 and enhanced MIP-2 secretion. SP and the SP methyl ester neither altered cell proliferation nor the effects of NK1R and NK2R antagonists in the metastatic cell lines. CONCLUSIONS: Increased sensitivity of metastatic breast carcinoma cells to NK1R and NK2R antagonists suggest potential therapeutic value of antagonists in metastatic disease. NK1R and NK2R in metastatic breast carcinoma cells react differently to agonists and antagonists. These findings together with previously published data demonstrate that differential consequences of receptor antagonists and SP may inhibit breast cancer growth and metastasis.

Autocrine control of MIP-2 secretion from metastatic breast cancer cells is mediated by CXCR2: a mechanism for possible resistance to CXCR2 antagonists.

CXCR2 interacts with a wide range of chemokines and CXCR2 antagonists may have therapeutic value for treatment-resistant metastatic carcinomas. We aimed to explore regulation of activity of CXCR2 and its ligand, MIP-2, in metastatic breast carcinoma. We used mouse breast carcinoma cells metastasize to brain (4TBM), liver (4TLM), and heart (4THM) and explored the extra- and intracellular mechanisms effecting MIP-2 secretion using CXCR2 antagonist and inhibitors of downstream signaling molecules. 4TBM, 4TLM, and 4THM cells include cancer stem cell features and metastasize extensively. We also determined kinetics of MIP-2 secretion in 4T1 and non-metastatic 67NR mouse breast carcinoma cells. We found that there is an autocrine-inhibition of MIP-2 secretion. Specifically, metastatic cells selectively express CXCR2 only, and not CXCR1 and attenuating CXCR2 activity with SB225002 increased MIP-2 secretion. This may be due to the inhibition of protein kinase C (PKC) activity since RO318220; a specific inhibitor of PKC also increased MIP-2 secretion. Attenuating CXCR2 activity with SB225002, otherwise suppressed proliferation of 4THM and 4TBM cells. Tumor explants and cancer-associated fibroblasts obtained from 4TLM, 4THM, and 4TBM primary tumors secreted high levels of MIP-2. Surprisingly, CXCR2 expression was low in 4TLM cells demonstrating that liver metastatic cells might be resistant to the anti-tumoral effects of CXCR2 antagonists. Our results demonstrated that resistance to anti-proliferative effects of CXCR2 may also arise from feedback increases in MIP-2 secretion. Activation of PI3 K pathway augments MIP-2 secretion, hence possible resistance to the antitumor effects of CXCR2 antagonists might be prevented with inhibitors of PI3 K.