ABSTRACT
We have analyzed the role of plasminogen-activator inhibitor type 1 (PAI-1) in the regulation of tumor cell-mediated extracellular matrix degradation. Immunocytochemical analysis revealed PAI-1 associated with microgranular and fibrillar material of the extracellular matrix and demonstrated the presence of PAI-1 as a cell surface-associated antigen. Transforming growth factor beta significantly reduced matrix degradation mediated by HT-1080 human fibrosarcoma cells. This inhibition was correlated with an increase in PAI-1 antigen expression, whereas urinary-type plasminogen activator (u-PA) secretion was unaffected. In this experimental system, PAI-1 regulated extracellular matrix breakdown, as added PAI-1 inhibited matrix solubilization, whereas monoclonal antibodies to PAI-1 increased it. A cell line (LPAI) producing high levels of biologically active PAI-1 was established by transfection of a human PAI-1 cDNA clone into mouse L cells. Coculture experiments demonstrated that LPAI cells prevented matrix degradation by Lu-PA cells (L cells expressing high levels of u-PA) or Co-115 human colon carcinoma cells (expressing tissue-type plasminogen activator). These results indicate that PAI-1 may play a critical role in the regulation of extracellular matrix degradation during tumor cell invasion.
Subject(s)
Colonic Neoplasms/metabolism , Extracellular Matrix/metabolism , Fibrosarcoma/metabolism , Plasminogen Inactivators/metabolism , Animals , Carcinoma, Hepatocellular , Cell Line , Extracellular Matrix/ultrastructure , Humans , Kinetics , L Cells/metabolism , Liver Neoplasms , Mice , Plasminogen Activators/isolation & purification , Plasminogen Activators/metabolism , Plasminogen Inactivators/isolation & purification , TransfectionABSTRACT
A cosmid (cos pUK0322) harboring the complete human urokinase-type plasminogen activator (u-PA) gene and Geneticin resistance as a selectable marker was isolated from a human genomic library and characterized. After transfection of cos pUK0322 into mouse L cells and selection, several plasminogen activator (PA)-expressing clones were obtained and one (LuPA) was chosen for additional study. The PA expressed was identical to human pro-u-PA in enzymatic, electrophoretic, and antigenic properties. The expression of PA was stable over 50 population doublings. The regulation of the transfected gene was studied by treatment of the cells with various hormones and other effectors. Expression of PA activity was inhibited fivefold by dexamethasone and stimulated two- to threefold by agonists of the adenylate cyclase dependent pathway of signal transduction, such as dibutyryl cyclic AMP and cholera and pertussis toxins. The modulation of PA activity was associated with corresponding changes in mRNA steady-state levels. The phenotypic changes associated with pro-u-PA expression were analyzed in vitro by degradation of 3H-labeled extracellular matrix (ECM), invasion of a matrigel basement membrane analogue, and by light and electron microscopy. LuPA cells and reference HT-1080 fibrosarcoma cells, in contrast to control Lneo cells transfected with the neomycin resistance gene, degraded the ECM and invaded the matrigel basement membrane. Matrix degradation correlated with the modulation of pro-u-PA gene expression as it was inhibited by dexamethasone and promoted by dibutyryl cyclic AMP. Inhibition of PA or plasmin using anti-u-PA IgG or aprotinin prevented ECM degradation and invasion. These results demonstrate that u-PA expression alone is sufficient to confer to a cell an experimental invasive phenotype.
