PTHrP promotes homotypic aggregation of breast cancer cells in three-dimensional cultures

Protein‑ and growth‑modulatory effects of carcinoma‑associated fibroblasts on breast cancer cells: Role of interleukin‑6

Carcinoma-associated fibroblasts (CAFs) secrete factors that increase the expression and/or activities of proteins in breast cancer cells and induce resistance to anti-estrogens, such as fulvestrant. A major factor is interleukin-6 (IL-6). This study demonstrated that, across estrogen receptor (ER) α-positive and -negative cell lines, recombinant human IL-6 (rhIL-6) mimicked most of the CAF-conditioned medium (CM)-induced changes in protein expression patterns; however, in most cases, it failed to recapitulate CAF-CM-triggered alterations in ERK1/2 and AKT activities. The ability of rhIL-6 to induce fulvestrant resistance was dependent upon the culture conditions. In 3D, but not in 2D cultures, rhIL-6 increased the survival of fulvestrant-treated cells, although not to the same extent as observed with CAF-CM. In 2D cultures, rhIL-6 acted in a pro-apoptotic manner and decreased the expression of ATP-binding cassette transporter G2 (ABCG2). The inhibition of the PI3K/AKT pathway had similar effects on apoptosis and ABCG2 expression, linking the failure of rhIL-6 to induce fulvestrant resistance to its inability to activate the PI3K/AKT pathway. In 3D cultures, both CAF-CM and rhIL-6 acted in an anti-apoptotic manner. These activities are likely independent on the PI3K/AKT pathway and ABCG2. Experiments on ERα-negative breast cancer cells revealed a growth-inhibitory effects of both CAF-CM and rhIL-6, which coincided with a reduction in the c-Myc level. These data suggest that IL-6 plays a role in several effects of CAF-CM, including alterations in protein expression patterns, fulvestrant resistance in 3D cultures and growth inhibition. By contrast, IL-6 is unlikely to be responsible for the CAF-CM-induced activation of the PI3K/AKT pathway and fulvestrant resistance in 2D cultures.

Long-term exposure to carcinoma-associated fibroblasts makes breast cancer cells addictive to integrin β1

We studied the long-term effect of stromal factors on the development of fulvestrant-resistance (FR) and fulvestrant-induced dormancy (D). Sublines established from stroma-treated FR-cells (C-FR cells) and D-cells (C-D cells) show permanently high expression of integrin β1 as well as Bcl-3 and P-STAT3 (C-FR) or IGF1R (C-D). Yet, cells fail to withstand fulvestrant better and do not migrate or grow faster than control cells. Instead, C-D cells rely on stromal factors to perform as well as control cells. In addition, C-FR cells adapted to integrin β1 for growth in 3D cultures. These data suggest that long-term exposure to stromal factors leads to addiction rather than better performance in cellular activities. We also found that morphologically distinct breast cancer cell line subpopulations share key responses to stromal factors suggesting that intratumoral heterogeneity may play a minor role in the interaction between breast cancer and stromal cells.

Stromal cells promote anti-estrogen resistance of breast cancer cells through an insulin-like growth factor binding protein 5 (IGFBP5)/B-cell leukemia/lymphoma 3 (Bcl-3) axis

There is strong evidence that stromal cells promote drug resistance of cancer. Here, we show that mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) and carcinoma-associated fibroblasts (CAFs) desensitize ERα-positive breast cancer cells to the anti-estrogen fulvestrant. In search for the mechanism, we found that MSCs and CAFs similarly increased the activity of the PI3K/AKT and the JAK/STAT3 pathways and upregulated the expression of integrin β1, IGF1R, HIF1α, CAIX and Bcl-3 in MCF-7 cells. Further analyses revealed that MSCs and CAFs coordinately induce these changes by triggering the downregulation of IGFBP5. Loss of IGFBP5 in MCF-7 cells was an early and long-lasting event in response to MSCs and CAFs and was accompanied by growth stimulation both in the absence and presence of fulvestrant. The growth-stimulatory effect in the absence of fulvestrant could be attributed to PI3K/AKT pathway activation and could be mimicked by insulin. The growth-promoting effect in the presence of fulvestrant depended upon the upregulation of Bcl-3. By cRNA microarray analysis we identified additional IGFBP5 targets, of which two (KLHL4 and SEPP1) were inversely regulated by IGFBP5 and Bcl-3. BT474 cells also responded to stromal cells by downregulating IGFBP5 and upregulating the P-AKT, Bcl-3 and IGF1R levels, whereas T47D cells did not show any of these responses. In conclusion, our data suggest that, by targeting IGFBP5 expression in ERα-positive breast cancer cells, such as MCF-7 cells, MSCs and CAFs are able to orchestrate a variety of events, particularly activation of the PI3K/AKT pathway, upregulation of Bcl-3 expression and desensitization to anti-estrogen.

Expression of transmembrane protein 26 (TMEM26) in breast cancer and its association with drug response

We have previously shown that stromal cells desensitize breast cancer cells to the anti-estrogen fulvestrant and, along with it, downregulate the expression of TMEM26 (transmembrane protein 26). In an effort to study the function and regulation of TMEM26 in breast cancer cells, we found that breast cancer cells express non-glycosylated and N-glycosylated isoforms of the TMEM26 protein and demonstrate that N-glycosylation is important for its retention at the plasma membrane. Fulvestrant induced significant changes in expression and in the N-glycosylation status of TMEM26. In primary breast cancer, TMEM26 protein expression was higher in ERα (estrogen receptor α)/PR (progesterone receptor)-positive cancers. These data suggest that ERα is a major regulator of TMEM26. Significant changes in TMEM26 expression and N-glycosylation were also found, when MCF-7 and T47D cells acquired fulvestrant resistance. Furthermore, patients who received aromatase inhibitor treatment tend to have a higher risk of recurrence when tumoral TMEM26 protein expression is low. In addition, TMEM26 negatively regulates the expression of integrin β1, an important factor involved in endocrine resistance. Data obtained by spheroid formation assays confirmed that TMEM26 and integrin β1 can have opposite effects in breast cancer cells. These data are consistent with the hypothesis that, in ERα-positive breast cancer, TMEM26 may function as a tumor suppressor by impeding the acquisition of endocrine resistance. In contrast, in ERα-negative breast cancer, particularly triple-negative cancer, high TMEM26 expression was found to be associated with a higher risk of recurrence. This implies that TMEM26 has different functions in ERα-positive and -negative breast cancer.

KiSS1 and its G-protein-coupled receptor GPR54 in cancer development and metastasis

KiSS1 and its cognate G-protein-coupled receptor, GPR54, have diverse functions. While KiSS1 and GPR54 have been intensively studied in physiology, their role in cancer is still unclear. In cancer, KiSS1 and GPR54 have been known to suppress metastasis by inhibiting cancer cell motility. However, recent studies suggest that KiSS1 and GPR54 have varied roles even in cancer development and metastasis. Here, we examine recent advances in understanding the roles of KiSS1 and GPR54 in cancer development and metastasis.

Cyclic AMP enhances TGFβ responses of breast cancer cells by upregulating TGFβ receptor I expression

Cellular functions are regulated by complex networks of many different signaling pathways. The TGFβ and cAMP pathways are of particular importance in tumor progression. We analyzed the cross-talk between these pathways in breast cancer cells in 2D and 3D cultures. We found that cAMP potentiated TGFβ-dependent gene expression by enhancing Smad3 phosphorylation. Higher levels of total Smad3, as observed in 3D-cultured cells, blocked this effect. Two Smad3 regulating proteins, YAP (Yes-associated protein) and TβRI (TGFβ receptor 1), were responsive to cAMP. While YAP had little effect on TGFβ-dependent expression and Smad3 phosphorylation, a constitutively active form of TβRI mimicked the cAMP effect on TGFβ signaling. In 3D-cultured cells, which show much higher levels of TβRI and cAMP, TβRI was unresponsive to cAMP. Upregulation of TβRI expression by cAMP was dependent on transcription. A proximal TβRI promoter fragment was moderately, but significantly activated by cAMP suggesting that cAMP increases TβRI expression at least partially by activating TβRI transcription. Neither the cAMP-responsive element binding protein (CREB) nor the TβRI-regulating transcription factor Six1 was required for the cAMP effect. An inhibitor of histone deacetylases alone or together with cAMP increased TβRI expression by a similar extent as cAMP alone suggesting that cAMP may exert its effect by interfering with histone acetylation. Along with an additive stimulatory effect of cAMP and TGFβ on p21 expression an additive inhibitory effect of these agents on proliferation was observed. Finally, we show that mesenchymal stem cells that interact with breast cancer cells can simultaneously activate the cAMP and TGFβ pathways. In summary, these data suggest that combined effects of cAMP and TGFβ, as e.g. induced by mesenchymal stem cells, involve the upregulation of TβRI expression on the transcriptional level, likely due to changes in histone acetylation. As a consequence, cancer cell functions such as proliferation are affected.

Akt and p53 are potential mediators of reduced mammary tumor growth by cloroquine and the mTOR inhibitor RAD001

PI3K/Akt/mTOR and p53 signaling pathways are frequently deregulated in tumors. The anticancer drug RAD001 (everolimus) is a known mTOR-inhibitor, but mTOR-inhibition leads to phosphorylation of Akt inducing resistance against RAD001 treatment. There is growing evidence that conflicting signals transduced by the oncogene Akt and the tumorsuppressor p53 are integrated via negative feedback between the two pathways. We previously showed that the anti-malarial Chloroquine, a 4-alkylamino substituted quinoline, is a p53 activator and reduced the incidence of breast tumors in animal models. Additionally, Chloroquine is an effective chemosensitizer when used in combination with PI3K/Akt inhibitors but the mechanism is unknown. Therefore, our aim was to test, if Chloroquine could inhibit tumor growth and prevent RAD001-induced Akt activation. Chloroquine and RAD001 caused G1 cell cycle arrest in luminal MCF7 but not in mesenchymal MDA-MB-231 breast cancer cells, they significantly reduced MCF7 cell proliferation on a collagen matrix and mammospheroid formation. In a murine MCF7 xenograft model, combined treatment of Chloroquine and RAD001 significantly reduced mammary tumor growth by 4.6-fold (p = 0.0002) compared to controls. Chloroquine and RAD001 inhibited phosphorylation of mTOR and its downstream target, S6K1. Furthermore, Chloroquine was able to block the RAD001-induced phosphorylation of Akt serine 473. The Chloroquine effect of overcoming the RAD001-induced activation of the oncogene Akt, as well as the promising antitumor activity in our mammary tumor animal model present Chloroquine as an interesting combination partner for the mTOR-inhibitor RAD001.

Human mesenchymal stem cells induce E-cadherin degradation in breast carcinoma spheroids by activating ADAM10

Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) have been shown to communicate with tumor cells. We analyzed the effect of human MSCs (hMSCs) on breast cancer cells in three-dimensional cultures. By using GFP expression and immunohistochemistry, we show that hMSCs invade 3D breast cancer cell aggregates. hMSCs caused breast cancer spheroids to become disorganized which was accompanied by a disruption of cell-cell adhesion, E-cadherin cleavage, and nuclear translocation of E-cadherin, but not by epithelial/mesenchymal transition or by an increase in ERK1/2 activity. In addition, hMSCs enhanced the motility of breast cancer cells. Inhibition of ADAM10 (a disintegrin and metalloprotease 10), known to cleave E-cadherin, prevented both hMSC-mediated E-cadherin cleavage and enhanced migration. Our data suggest that hMSCs interfere with cell-cell adhesion and enhance migration of breast cancer cells by activating ADAM10.