Co-operative effect of c-Src tyrosine kinase and Stat3 in activation of hepatocyte growth factor expression in mammary carcinoma cells

Activation of Stat3 by receptor tyrosine kinases and cytokines regulates survival in human non-small cell carcinoma cells

Overexpression of receptor tyrosine kinases including the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGF-R) as well as nonreceptor tyrosine kinases, such as Src, have been implicated in the formation of human lung cancers. In addition, cytokines like interleukin-6 (IL-6) have been demonstrated to modulate lung cancer cell growth and elevated levels of IL-6 have been shown to be an adverse prognostic factor for patients with lung cancer. Despite a large body of evidence pointing to their potential importance, few direct studies into the role of signal transducers and activators of transcription (STAT) pathways in human lung cancer have been undertaken. Here we demonstrate that multiple nonsmall cell lung cancer cell lines demonstrate constitutive Stat3 DNA-binding activity. Stat3 DNA-binding activity is specifically upregulated by the addition of epidermal growth factor (EGF), IL-6, and hepatocyte-derived growth factor (HGF). Furthermore, the stimulation of Stat3 DNA-binding activity by EGF requires the activity of EGF-R tyrosine kinase as well as Src-kinase, while the upregulation of Stat3 activity by IL-6 or HGF requires only Src-kinase activity. Treatment of A549 lung cancer cells with PD180970 or SU6656, both pharmacological inhibitors of Src-kinase, resulted in reduced Src and Stat3 activity, cell cycle arrest in G2, and reduced viability of cells accompanied by induction of apoptosis. Treatment of Stat3-positive A549 and H358 cells with antisense Stat3 oligonucleotides results in complete loss of Stat3 DNA-binding activity and apoptosis, while Stat3-positive H1299 cells remained healthy. Finally, an adenoviral vector expressing a dominant-negative Stat3 isoform results in loss of Stat3 DNA-binding activity, apoptosis, and reduced cellular viability. These results demonstrate a role of Stat3 in transducing survival signals downstream of tyrosine kinases such as Src, EGF-R, and c-Met, as well as cytokines such as IL-6, in human nonsmall cell lung cancers.

GDNF promotes tubulogenesis of GFRalpha1-expressing MDCK cells by Src-mediated phosphorylation of Met receptor tyrosine kinase

Glial cell line-derived neurotrophic factor (GDNF) and hepatocyte growth factor (HGF) are multifunctional signaling molecules in embryogenesis. HGF binds to and activates Met receptor tyrosine kinase. The signaling receptor complex for GDNF typically includes both GDNF family receptor alpha1 (GFRalpha1) and Ret receptor tyrosine kinase. GDNF can also signal independently of Ret via GFRalpha1, although the mechanism has remained unclear. We now show that GDNF partially restores ureteric branching morphogenesis in ret-deficient mice with severe renal hypodysplasia. The mechanism of Ret-independent effect of GDNF was therefore studied by the MDCK cell model. In MDCK cells expressing GFRalpha1 but no Ret, GDNF stimulates branching but not chemotactic migration, whereas both branching and chemotaxis are promoted by GDNF in the cells coexpressing Ret and GFRalpha1, mimicking HGF/Met responses in wild-type MDCK cells. Indeed, GDNF induces Met phosphorylation in several ret-deficient/GFRalpha1-positive and GFRalpha1/Ret-coexpressing cell lines. However, GDNF does not immunoprecipite Met, making a direct interaction between GDNF and Met highly improbable. Met activation is mediated by Src family kinases. The GDNF-induced branching of MDCK cells requires Src activation, whereas the HGF-induced branching does not. Our data show a mechanism for the GDNF-induced branching morphogenesis in non-Ret signaling.

Cytosolic phospholipase A2 is an effector of Jak/STAT signaling and is involved in platelet-derived growth factor BB-induced growth in vascular smooth muscle cells

Platelet-derived growth factor-BB (PDGF-BB) is a potent mitogen and chemoattractant for vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMC). To understand its mitogenic and chemotactic signaling events, we studied the role of cytosolic phospholipase A(2) (cPLA(2)) and the Jak/STAT pathway. PDGF-BB induced the expression and activity of cPLA(2) in a time-dependent manner in VSMC. Arachidonyl trifluoromethyl ketone, a potent and specific inhibitor of cPLA(2), significantly reduced PDGF-BB-induced arachidonic acid release and DNA synthesis. PDGF-BB stimulated tyrosine phosphorylation of Jak-2 in a time-dependent manner. In addition, PDGF-BB activated STAT-3 as determined by its tyrosine phosphorylation, DNA-binding activity, and reporter gene expression, and these responses were suppressed by AG490, a selective inhibitor of Jak-2. AG490 and a dominant-negative mutant of STAT-3 also attenuated PDGF-BB-induced expression of cPLA(2,) arachidonic acid release, and DNA synthesis in VSMC. Together, these results suggest that induction of expression of cPLA(2) and arachidonic acid release are involved in VSMC growth in response to PDGF-BB and that these events are mediated by Jak-2-dependent STAT-3 activation.

Constitutive activation of met kinase in non-small-cell lung carcinomas correlates with anchorage-independent cell survival

Lung cancer is currently the most frequent cause of cancer death in North America. Hepatocyte growth factor (HGF) and its receptor Met are frequently over-expressed in non-small-cell lung carcinomas (NSCLC), but their potential role in tumor progression is not clearly known. To assess the role of HGF/Met signaling in lung carcinomas, we have examined the expression, activation status, and function of Met in NSCLC cell lines (n = 7), established from primary tumors or pleural fluids of cancer patients. We observed Met expression in three NSCLC cell lines, two of which exhibited constitutive tyrosine-phosphorylation of Met, and Met kinase activity. In addition, the observed constitutive activation of Met was sustained under anchorage-independent conditions, and correlated with phosphatidyl inositol 3-kinase-dependent cell survival. Immunoreactive HGF-like protein was secreted by two Met-positive and two Met-negative NSCLC cell lines. However HGF activity, as determined by the ability to induce cell scattering and tyrosine-phosphorylation of Met in reporter cell lines, was detected in conditioned medium from only one Met-negative NSCLC cell line: none of the conditioned media from Met-expressing NSCLC cell lines showed detectable HGF activity. Thus, constitutive activation of Met in NSCLC cell lines may occur at least in part through intracrine, or HGF-independent mechanisms. Interestingly, additional paracrine stimulation with exogenous recombinant HGF was required for DNA synthesis and correlated with increased activation of ERK1/2 in all Met-positive NSCLC cell lines, regardless of the basal activation status of Met. These findings indicate that a medium level of constitutive activation of Met occurs in some NSCLC cell lines, and correlates with survival of detached carcinoma cells; whereas additional paracrine stimulation by recombinant HGF is required for DNA synthesis. Thus constitutive and paracrine activation of Met may provide complementary signals that promote survival and proliferation, respectively, during tumor progression of NSCLC.

Signal transduction pathways involved in rheumatoid arthritis synovial fibroblast interleukin-18-induced vascular cell adhesion molecule-1 expression

Vascular cell adhesion molecule (VCAM)-1 has been implicated in interactions between leukocytes and connective tissue, including rheumatoid arthritis (RA) synovial tissue fibroblasts. Such interactions within the synovium contribute to RA inflammation. Using phosphoinositide 3-kinase (PI3-kinase) inhibitor LY294002 and Src inhibitor PP2, we show that interleukin (IL)-18-induced ERK1/2 activation is Src kinase-dependent. Antisense (AS) c-Src oligonucleotide (ODN) treatment reduced IL-18-induced ERK1/2 expression by 32% compared with control, suggesting an upstream role of Src in ERK1/2 activation. AS c-Src ODN treatment also inhibited Akt expression by 74% compared with sense control. PI3-kinase inhibitor LY294002 or AS PI3-kinase ODN inhibited Akt expression. AS c-Src ODN inhibited Akt phosphorylation, confirming Src is upstream of PI3-kinase in IL-18-induced RA synovial fibroblast signaling. IL-18 induced a time-dependent activation of c-Src, Ras, and Raf-1, suggesting this signaling cascade plays a role in ERK activation. IL-18 directly activated Src kinase by more than 4-fold over basal levels by enzymatic assay. Electrophoretic mobility shift assay showed that activator protein-1 (AP-1) is activated by IL-18 through ERK and Src but not through PI3-kinase. In an alternate pathway, inhibition of IL-1 receptor-associated kinase-1 (IRAK) with AS ODN to IRAK reduced IL-18-induced expression of nuclear factor kappaB (NFkappaB). Finally, IL-18-induced cell surface VCAM-1 expression was inhibited by treatment with AS ODNs to c-Src, IRAK, PI3-kinase, and ERK1/2 by 57, 43, 41, and 32% compared with control sense ODN treatment, respectively. These data support a role for IL-18 activation of three distinct pathways during RA synovial fibroblast stimulation: two Src-dependent pathways and the IRAK/NFkappaB pathway. Targeting VCAM-1 signaling mechanisms may represent therapeutic approaches to inflammatory and angiogenic diseases characterized by adhesion molecule up-regulation.

Phosphorylated tyrosine-containing proteins in primary lung cancer correlates with proliferation and prognosis

To determine the usefulness of tyrosine phosphorylation in evaluating biological characteristics, we attempted to evaluate the relationship between the amount of phosphorylated tyrosine-containing proteins and clinicopathological factors, cell proliferation and outcome in non-small cell lung cancer. To evaluate phosphorylated tyrosine-containing proteins we used 96 surgically resected materials of non-small cell lung cancer and normal peripheral lung, while immunohistochemical evaluation was performed. Cell proliferating ability was evaluated using the labelling index of proliferating cell nuclear antigen-positive nuclear staining cells. There were statistically significant differences between the expression levels of phosphorylated tyrosine-containing proteins of normal and cancerous tissues (P<0.0001). Evaluations based on clinicopathological factors apart from histopathological differentiation, showed no statistically significant differences of phosphorylated tyrosine-containing proteins expression. However, phosphorylated tyrosine-containing proteins correlated with cell proliferation activity evaluated (P((Low, High))<0.0001; P((Low, Int)) <0.0001; P((Int, High))<0.0001). Furthermore, non-small cell lung cancer cases with high expression and intermediate expression of phosphorylated tyrosine-containing proteins had a significantly shorter disease-free postoperative survival than those with low expression of phosphorylated tyrosine-containing proteins using log-rank analysis (P((Low, Int)) <0.0028; P((Low, High))=0.0002). Furthermore, phosphorylated tyrosine-containing proteins expression level statistically contributed to disease-free survival in Cox's proportional hazard model. Therefore, phosphorylated tyrosine-containing proteins in non-small cell lung cancer tissues seem to reflect its biological malignancy, and this evaluation may be valuable for constructing the most appropriate therapeutic strategy.

IL-10 promotes survival of microglia without activating Akt

IL-10 is an anti-inflammatory cytokine that has recently been shown to promote survival of neurons and glia. Here we establish that IL-10 induces phosphorylation of Stat3 on Tyr(705) and serves as a survival factor for N13 microglial cells. Recombinant IL-10 (10 ng/ml) decreases growth factor withdrawal-induced apoptosis by 50%, as assessed by TUNEL. In contrast to IL-10, IGF-I increases enzymatic activity of PI 3-kinase and causes phosphorylation on serine(473) of Akt but does not prevent microglial apoptosis. These data establish that IL-10 activates Stat3 and inhibits the mitochondrial pathway of cell death without activating the Akt cell survival pathway.

Src inhibitors: genomics to therapeutics

Following the milestone discoveries that identified Src as the first known protein tyrosine kinase and as a prototype oncogene, as well as Src transgenic studies to validate it as a promising therapeutic target for osteoporosis, intense efforts are being made to create Src inhibitor drugs. Drug discovery strategies focused on both the non-catalytic and catalytic domains of Src have successfully resulted in promising Src inhibitor lead compounds with potential therapeutic applications for osteoporosis, cancer, and other diseases. Some noteworthy examples of Src inhibitors are described, and their chemical diversity, structure-based design, and biological activities in vitro and in vivo are illustrated. The potency, selectivity, and in vivo efficacy of key Src inhibitors are being investigated in molecular, cellular and animal models. Consequently, Src inhibitor drug development is imminent, and current studies are well-poised to achieve the ultimate milestone of a Src inhibitor therapeutic.