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Purpose: The epidermal growth factor receptor (ERBB1) and related family member HER-2/neu (ERBB2) are often overexpressed in aggressive breast cancers and their overexpression is correlated with poor prognosis. Clinical studies using ERBB inhibitors have focused on tumor growth effects, but ERBBs can contribute to malignancy independent of their effects on tumor growth. Our studies were designed to evaluate the effect of ERBB inhibition on tumor cell motility and intravasation in vivo using clinically relevant small-molecule inhibitors.Experimental Design: Using in vivo mouse models of breast cancer, we test the effects of ERBB1 and ERBB2 inhibitors AC480 and lapatinib, ERBB1 inhibitor gefitinib, and ERBB2 inhibitor AG825 on in vivo tumor cell invasive properties in mammary fat pad tumors.Results: ERBB1 and ERBB2 inhibition rapidly (within 3 h) inhibits both tumor cell motility and intravasation. Using gefitinib, ERBB1 inhibition rapidly inhibits tumor cell motility and invasion but not intravasation, whereas ERBB2 inhibition by AG825 rapidly blocks intravasation.Conclusions: ERBB1 and ERBB2 inhibition can rapidly block tumor cell invasive properties. In addition, we differentiate for the first time the contributions of ERBB1 and ERBB2 to the key metastatic properties of in vivo tumor cell invasion and intravasation. These experiments temporally and molecularly separate two key stages in tumor cell entry into blood vessels: invasion and intravasation. These results indicate that ERBB inhibition should be considered for blocking other tumor cell malignant properties besides growth.

Supplementary Movie S2 from ERBB1 and ERBB2 Have Distinct Functions in Tumor Cell Invasion and Intravasation

Supplementary Figures S1-S2 from ERBB1 and ERBB2 Have Distinct Functions in Tumor Cell Invasion and Intravasation

High grade glioma is one of the deadliest human cancers with a median survival rate of only one year following diagnosis. The highly motile and invasive nature of high grade glioma makes it difficult to completely remove surgically. Therefore, increasing our knowledge of the mechanisms glioma cells use to invade normal brain is of critical importance in designing novel therapies. It was previously shown by our laboratory that tumor-associated microglia (TAMs) stimulate glioma cell invasion and this process is dependent on CSF-1R signaling. In this study, we seek to identify pro-invasive factors that are upregulated in microglia in a CSF-1R-dependent manner. We assayed cDNA and protein from microglia treated with conditioned media from the murine glioma cell line GL261, and discovered that several EGFR ligands including amphiregulin (AREG) are strongly upregulated. This upregulation is blocked by addition of a pharmacological CSF-1R inhibitor. Using RNA interference, we show that AREG-depleted microglia are less effective at promoting invasion of GL261 cells into Matrigel-coated invasion chambers. In addition, an AREG blocking antibody strongly attenuates the ability of THP-1 macrophages to activate human glioma cell line U87 invasion. Furthermore, we have identified a signaling pathway which involves CSF-1 signaling through ERK to upregulate AREG expression in microglia. Interfering with ERK using pharmacological inhibitors prevents AREG upregulation in microglia and microglia-stimulated GL261 invasion. These data highlight AREG as a key factor in produced by tumor associated microglia in promoting glioma invasion.

Glioblastoma Multiforme (GBM) is the most aggressive form of adult brain tumor with a median survival time of twelve months. GBM is highly resistant to conventional therapy which includes surgical resection of the tumor, radiation treatment and chemotherapy. GBM cells are highly motile and invasive resulting in infiltrative tumors with poorly defined borders. GBM tumors are heavily infiltrated with microglia cells which are known to stimulate GBM cell invasion. Our laboratory has previously demonstrated that microglia strongly stimulates GBM invasion both in-vitro and in orthotopic animal models. This interaction was found to be dependent on CSF-1R which is expressed on all tumor infiltrating macrophages/microglia. Blockade of the CSF-1R using compounds such as pexidartinib (PLX3397) can inhibit microglia/macrophage-stimulated GBM invasion in-vitro and in vivo. A variety of chemokines are upregulated in the GBM tumor microenvironment and facilitate “cross-talk” between microglia and GBM cells eliciting a chemotactic response. We have demonstrated that the chemotactic ligand, CCL3, is similarly upregulated in GBM tumors. We postulated that inhibition of CCL3 associated receptors such as C-C receptor 1 (CCR1) might also inhibit GBM invasion, thus, a CCR1 antagonist could prove efficacious for blockade of microglia-induced glioblastoma invasion in vitro. Many potent CCR1 antagonists have been described in the literature. We chose four of these compounds with two distinct structural cores, all with reported IC50’s of less than 200 nM for inhibition of CCR1 binding versus CCL3. We examined the ability of these antagonists to block microglia-stimulated glioblastoma invasion using an in-vitro coculture invasion assay. Using quantitative PCR arrays, we also show that expression of chemokines and chemokine receptor genes is greatly altered in GBM conditioned media-treated microglia. Understanding the pattern of tumor-associated macrophage/microglia chemokine secretion in GBM may present additional targets for chemotherapeutic intervention and enhance immunotherapy. Citation Format: Salvatore J. Coniglio, Poornema Ramasundaram, Neshama Fournier, Danielle S. Hamilton, Gregory Marshall, Keia Smith, Diana Habib, James R. Merritt. The chemokine receptor CCR1 is involved in microglia stimulated glioblastoma invasion [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting 2019; 2019 Mar 29-Apr 3; Atlanta, GA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2019;79(13 Suppl):Abstract nr 4548.

Glioblastoma multiforme is one of the deadliest human cancers and is characterized by a high degree of microglia and macrophage infiltration. The role of these glioma infiltrating macrophages (GIMs) in disease progression has been the subject of recent investigation. While initially thought to reflect an immune response to the tumor, the balance of evidence clearly suggests GIMs can have potent tumor-tropic functions and assist in glioma cell growth and infiltration into normal brain. In this review, we focus on the evidence for GIMs aiding mediating glioblastoma motility and invasion. We survey the literature for molecular pathways that are involved in paracrine interaction between glioma cells and GIMs and assess which of these might serve as attractive targets for therapeutic intervention.

Glioblastoma multiforme (grade IV glioma) is a very aggressive human cancer with a median survival of 1 year post diagnosis. Despite the increased understanding of the molecular events that give rise to glioblastomas, this cancer still remains highly refractory to conventional treatment. Surgical resection of high grade brain tumors is rarely complete due to the highly infiltrative nature of glioblastoma cells. Therapeutic approaches which attenuate glioblastoma cell invasion therefore is an attractive option. Our laboratory and others have shown that tumor associated macrophages and microglia (resident brain macrophages) strongly stimulate glioblastoma invasion. The protocol described in this paper is used to model glioblastoma-macrophage/microglia interaction using in vitro culture assays. This approach can greatly facilitate the development and/or discovery of drugs that disrupt the communication with the macrophages that enables this malignant behavior. We have established two robust coculture invasion assays where microglia/macrophages stimulate glioma cell invasion by 5 - 10 fold. Glioblastoma cells labelled with a fluorescent marker or constitutively expressing a fluorescent protein are plated without and with macrophages/microglia on matrix-coated polycarbonate chamber inserts or embedded in a three dimensional matrix. Cell invasion is assessed by using fluorescent microscopy to image and count only invasive cells on the underside of the filter. Using these assays, several pharmacological inhibitors (JNJ-28312141, PLX3397, Gefitinib, and Semapimod), have been identified which block macrophage/microglia stimulated glioblastoma invasion.

Many malignancies show increased expression of the epidermal growth factor (EGF) receptor family member ErbB3 (HER3). ErbB3 binds heregulin β-1 (HRGβ1) and forms a heterodimer with other ErbB family members, such as ErbB2 (HER2) or EGF receptor (EGFR; HER1), enhancing phosphorylation of specific C-terminal tyrosine residues and activation of downstream signaling pathways. ErbB3 contains six YXXM motifs that bind the p85 subunit of phosphoinositide 3 (PI3)-kinase. Previous studies demonstrated that overexpression of ErbB3 in mammary tumor cells can significantly enhance chemotaxis to HRGβ1 and overall metastatic potential. We tested the hypothesis that ErbB3-mediated PI3-kinase signaling is critical for heregulin-induced motility, and therefore crucial for ErbB3-mediated invasion, intravasation and metastasis. The tyrosines in the six YXXM motifs on the ErbB3 C-terminus were replaced with phenylalanine. In contrast to overexpression of the wild-type ErbB3, overexpression of the mutant ErbB3 did not enhance chemotaxis towards HRGβ1 in vitro or in vivo. We also observed reduced tumor cell motility in the primary tumor by multiphoton microscopy, as well as a dramatically reduced ability of these cells to cross the endothelium and intravasate into the circulation. Moreover, whereas mutation of the ErbB3 C-terminus had no effect on tumor growth, it had a dramatic effect on spontaneous metastatic potential. Treatment with the PI3-kinase inhibitor PIK-75 similarly inhibited motility and invasion in vitro and in vivo. Our results indicate that stimulation of the early metastatic steps of motility and invasion by ErbB3 requires activation of the PI3-kinase pathway by the ErbB3 receptor.

Pak kinases are thought to play critical roles in cell migration and invasion. Here, we analyze the roles of Pak1 and Pak2 in breast carcinoma cell invasion using the transient transfection of small interfering RNA. We find that although both Pak1 and Pak2 contribute to breast carcinoma invasion stimulated by heregulin, these roles are mediated by distinct signaling mechanisms. Thus, whereas the depletion of Pak1 interferes with the heregulin-mediated dephosphorylation of cofilin, the depletion of Pak2 does not. The depletion of Pak1 also has a stronger inhibitory effect on lamellipodial protrusion than does the depletion of Pak2. Interestingly, Pak1 and Pak2 play opposite roles in regulating the phosphorylation of the myosin light chain (MLC). Whereas the depletion of Pak1 decreases phospho-MLC levels in heregulin-stimulated cells, the depletion of Pak2 enhances MLC phosphorylation. Consistent with their opposite effects on MLC phosphorylation, Pak1 and Pak2 differentially modulate focal adhesions. Pak2-depleted cells display an increase in focal adhesion size, whereas in Pak1-depleted cells, focal adhesions fail to mature. We also found that the depletion of Pak2, but not Pak1, enhances RhoA activity and that the inhibition of RhoA signaling in Pak2-depleted cells decreases MLC phosphorylation and restores cell invasion. In summary, this work presents the first comprehensive analysis of functional differences between the Pak1 and Pak2 isoforms.

Cell migration involves the localized extension of actin-rich protrusions, a process that requires Class I phosphoinositide 3-kinases (PI 3-kinases). Both Rac and Ras have been shown to regulate actin polymerization and activate PI 3-kinase. However, the coordination of Rac, Ras and PI 3-kinase activation during epidermal growth factor (EGF)-stimulated protrusion has not been analyzed. We examined PI 3-kinase-dependent protrusion in MTLn3 rat adenocarcinoma cells. EGF-stimulated phosphatidyl-inositol (3,4,5)-trisphosphate [PtdIns(3,4,5)P3] levels showed a rapid and persistent response, as PI 3-kinase activity remained elevated up to 3 minutes. The activation kinetics of Ras, but not Rac, coincided with those of leading-edge PtdIns(3,4,5)P3 production. Small interfering RNA (siRNA) knockdown of K-Ras but not Rac1 abolished PtdIns(3,4,5)P3 production at the leading edge and inhibited EGF-stimulated protrusion. However, Rac1 knockdown did inhibit cell migration, because of the inhibition of focal adhesion formation in Rac1 siRNA-treated cells. Our data show that in EGF-stimulated MTLn3 carcinoma cells, Ras is required for both PtdIns(3,4,5)P3 production and lamellipod extension, whereas Rac1 is required for formation of adhesive structures. These data suggest an unappreciated role for Ras during protrusion, and a crucial role for Rac in the stabilization of protrusions required for cell motility.

Recurrent respiratory papillomas are epithelial tumors of the airway caused by human papillomaviruses. We previously reported that the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) is overexpressed in papilloma cells, that cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) is induced, and that COX-2 expression in primary papilloma cells requires activation of the EGFR but not Erk. Rac1, a member of the Rho family of GTPases, is a key signaling element that is known to control multiple pathways downstream of the EGFR. Here we report that Rac1 is overexpressed in papilloma cells compared with normal laryngeal epithelial cells and that the increased levels of Rac1 are mediated by EGFR activation. Transfecting cells with Rac1-specific siRNA suppressed COX-2 expression. Surprisingly, Rac1 mediated phosphorylation of p38 mitogen-activated kinase in papilloma cells but not normal cells, and inhibition of p38 with the specific inhibitor SB202190 suppressed COX-2 expression in papilloma cells but had no effect on low-level COX-2 expression in normal cells. Thus, the signaling cascades that regulate COX-2 expression are different in HPV-infected papilloma cells, with a significant contribution by the EGFR → Rac1 → p38 pathway.

Invadopodia are actin-rich membrane protrusions with a matrix degradation activity formed by invasive cancer cells. We have studied the molecular mechanisms of invadopodium formation in metastatic carcinoma cells. Epidermal growth factor (EGF) receptor kinase inhibitors blocked invadopodium formation in the presence of serum, and EGF stimulation of serum-starved cells induced invadopodium formation. RNA interference and dominant-negative mutant expression analyses revealed that neural WASP (N-WASP), Arp2/3 complex, and their upstream regulators, Nck1, Cdc42, and WIP, are necessary for invadopodium formation. Time-lapse analysis revealed that invadopodia are formed de novo at the cell periphery and their lifetime varies from minutes to several hours. Invadopodia with short lifetimes are motile, whereas long-lived invadopodia tend to be stationary. Interestingly, suppression of cofilin expression by RNA interference inhibited the formation of long-lived invadopodia, resulting in formation of only short-lived invadopodia with less matrix degradation activity. These results indicate that EGF receptor signaling regulates invadopodium formation through the N-WASP–Arp2/3 pathway and cofilin is necessary for the stabilization and maturation of invadopodia.

The rates of mother-to-child transmission of human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1), progression to AIDS following HIV-1 infection, and AIDS-associated mortality are all inversely correlated with serum vitamin A levels (R. D. Semba, W. T. Caiaffa, N. M. H. Graham, S. Cohn, and D. Vlahov, J. Infect. Dis. 171:1196–1202, 1995; R. D. Semba, N. M. H. Graham, W. T. Caiaffa, J. B. Margolik, L. Clement, and D. Vlahov, Arch. Intern. Med. 153:2149–2154, 1993; R. D. Semba, P. G. Miotti, J. D. Chiphangwi, A. J. Saah, J. K. Canner, G. A. Dallabetta, and D. R. Hoover, Lancet 343:1593–1596, 1994). Here we show that physiological concentrations of vitamin A, as retinol or as its metabolite, all- trans retinoic acid, repressed HIV-1 Ba-L replication in monocyte-derived macrophages (MDMs). Repression required retinoid treatment of peripheral monocytes during their in vitro differentiation into MDMs. Retinoids had no repressive effect if they were added after virus infection. Retinol, as well as all- trans retinoic acid and 9- cis retinoic acid, also repressed HIV-1 long terminal repeat (LTR)-directed expression up to 200-fold in transfected THP-1 monocytes. Analysis of HIV-1 LTR deletion mutants demonstrated that retinoids were able to repress activation of HIV-1 expression by both NF-κB and Tat. A cis -acting sequence required for retinoid-mediated repression of HIV-1 transcription was localized between nucleotides −51 and +12 of the HIV-1 LTR within the core promoter. Protein-DNA cross-linking experiments identified four proteins specific to retinoid-treated cells that bound to the core promoter. We conclude that retinoids render macrophages resistant to virus replication by modulating the interaction of cellular transcription factors with the viral core promoter.

Introduction: CXCL12-CXCR4 signaling has been shown to play a role in breast cancer progression by enhancing tumor growth, angiogenesis, triggering cancer cell invasion in vitro, and guiding cancer cells to their sites of metastasis. However, CXCR7 also binds to CXCL12 and has been recently found to enhance lung and breast primary tumor growth, as well as metastasis formation. Our goal was to dissect the contributions of CXCR4 and CXCR7 to the different steps of metastasis - in vivo invasion, intravasation and metastasis formation. Methods: We overexpressed CXCR4, CXCR7 or both in the rat mammary adenocarcinoma cell line MTLn3. Stable expressors were used to form tumors in severe combined immunodeficiency (SCID) mice, and in vivo invasiveness, intravital motility, intravasation, and metastasis were measured. Results: We found that CXCR4 overexpression increased the chemotactic and invasive behavior of MTLn3 cells to CXCL12, both in vitro and in vivo, as well as in vivo motility and intravasation. CXCR7 overexpression enhanced primary tumor growth and angiogenesis (as indicated by microvessel density and VEGFA expression), but decreased in vivo invasion, intravasation, and metastasis formation. In vitro, expression of CXCR7 alone had no effect in chemotaxis or invasion to CXCL12. However, in the context of increased CXCR4 expression, CXCR7 enhanced chemotaxis to CXCL12 but decreased invasion in response to CXCL12 in vitro and in vivo and impaired CXCL12 stimulated matrix degradation. The changes in matrix degradation correlated with expression of matrix metalloproteinase 12 (MMP12). Conclusions: We find that CXCR4 and CXCR7 play different roles in metastasis, with CXCR4 mediating breast cancer invasion and CXCR7 impairing invasion but enhancing primary tumor growth through angiogenesis.

International audience; ABSTRACT: INTRODUCTION: Altered expression of Septin 9 (SEPT9), a septin coding for multiple isoform variants, has been observed in several carcinomas including colorectal, head and neck, ovarian and breast, compared to normal tissue. Mechanisms regulating its expression during tumor initiation and progression in vivo and the oncogenic function of its different isoforms remain elusive. METHODS: Using an integrative approach, we investigated SEPT9 at the genetic, epigenetic, mRNA, and protein levels in breast cancer. We analyzed a panel of breast cancer cell lines, human primary tumors and corresponding tumor-free areas, normal breast from reduction mammoplasty patients, as well as primary mammary gland adenocarcinomas derived from the Polyoma Virus Middle T antigen mouse model (PyMT). MCF7 clones expressing individual GFP-tagged SEPT9 isoforms were used to determine their respective intracellular distribution and affect on cell migration. RESULTS: An overall increase in gene amplification and altered expression of SEPT9 was observed during breast tumorigenesis. We identified an intragenic alternative promoter whose methylation regulates SEPT9_v3 expression. Transfection of specific GFP-SEPT9 isoforms in MCF7 cells indicates that these isoforms exhibit differential localization and affect migration rates. Additionally, the loss of an uncharacterized SEPT9 nucleolar localization is observed during tumorigenesis. CONCLUSIONS: In this study we found conserved in vivo changes of SEPT9 gene amplification and overexpression during human and mouse breast tumorigenesis. We show that DNA methylation is a prominent mechanism responsible for regulating differential SEPT9 isoform expression and that breast tumor samples exhibit distinctive SEPT9 intracellular localization. Together, these findings support the significance of SEPT9 as a promising tool in breast cancer detection and further emphasize the importance of analyzing and targeting SEPT9 isoform specific expression and function.

Glioblastoma multiforme is a deadly cancer for which current treatment options are limited. The ability of glioblastoma tumor cells to infiltrate the surrounding brain parenchyma critically limits the effectiveness of current treatments. We investigated how microglia, the resident macrophages of the brain, stimulate glioblastoma cell invasion. We first examined the ability of normal microglia from C57Bl/6J mice to stimulate GL261 glioblastoma cell invasion in vitro. We found that microglia stimulate the invasion of GL261 glioblastoma cells by approximately eightfold in an in vitro invasion assay. Pharmacological inhibition of epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) strongly inhibited microglia-stimulated invasion. Furthermore, blockade of colony stimulating factor 1 receptor (CSF-1R) signaling using ribonucleic acid (RNA) interference or pharmacological inhibitors completely inhibited microglial enhancement of glioblastoma invasion. GL261 cells were found to constitutively secrete CSF-1, the levels of which were unaffected by epidermal growth factor (EGF) stimulation, EGFR inhibition or coculture with microglia. CSF-1 only stimulated microglia invasion, whereas EGF only stimulated glioblastoma cell migration, demonstrating a synergistic interaction between these two cell types. Finally, using PLX3397 (a CSF-1R inhibitor that can cross the blood-brain barrier) in live animals, we discovered that blockade of CSF-1R signaling in vivo reduced the number of tumor-associated microglia and glioblastoma invasion. These data indicate that glioblastoma and microglia interactions mediated by EGF and CSF-1 can enhance glioblastoma invasion and demonstrate the possibility of inhibiting glioblastoma invasion by targeting glioblastoma-associated microglia via inhibition of the CSF-1R.

Object Medulloblastomas are the most common malignant brain tumors in children. These tumors are highly invasive, and patients harboring these lesions are frequently diagnosed with distant spread. In this study, the authors investigated the role of Rac1, a member of the Rho family of small guanosine triphosphatases, in medulloblastoma invasion. Methods Three established medulloblastoma cell lines were used: DAOY, UW-228, and ONS-76. Specific depletion of Rac1 protein was accomplished by transient transfection of small interfering RNA. Cell invasion through extracellular matrix (Matrigel) was quantified using a transwell migration assay. Mitogen activated protein kinase activation was determined using phospho-MAP kinase–specific antibodies, and inhibition of MAP kinase pathways was achieved by specific small molecule inhibitors. Localization of Rac1 and its expression levels were determined by immunohistochemical analysis using a Rac1-specific antibody, and Rac1 activation was qualitatively assessed by Rac1 plasma membrane association. Results Small interfering RNA–mediated depletion of Rac1 strongly inhibited medulloblastoma cell invasion. Although depletion of Rac1 inhibited the proliferation of UW-228 cells, and of ONS-76 cells to a lesser extent, it stimulated the proliferation of DAOY cells. Depletion of Rac1 also inhibited the activation of the ERK and JNK MAP kinase pathways, and inhibition of either pathway diminished invasion and proliferation. Immunohistochemical analysis demonstrated that the Rac1 protein was overexpressed in all medulloblastoma tumors examined, and indicated that Rac1 was hyperactive in 6 of 25 tumors. Conclusions The authors' data show that Rac1 is necessary for the invasive behavior of medulloblastoma cells in vitro, and plays a variable role in medulloblastoma cell proliferation. In addition, these results indicate that Rac1 stimulates medulloblastoma invasion by activating the ERK and JNK pathways. The authors suggest that Rac1 and signaling elements controlled by this guanosine triphosphatase may serve as novel targets for therapeutic intervention in malignant medulloblastomas.

Purpose: The epidermal growth factor receptor (ERBB1) and related family member HER-2/neu (ERBB2) are often overexpressed in aggressive breast cancers and their overexpression is correlated with poor prognosis. Clinical studies using ERBB inhibitors have focused on tumor growth effects, but ERBBs can contribute to malignancy independent of their effects on tumor growth. Our studies were designed to evaluate the effect of ERBB inhibition on tumor cell motility and intravasation in vivo using clinically relevant small-molecule inhibitors. Experimental Design: Using in vivo mouse models of breast cancer, we test the effects of ERBB1 and ERBB2 inhibitors AC480 and lapatinib, ERBB1 inhibitor gefitinib, and ERBB2 inhibitor AG825 on in vivo tumor cell invasive properties in mammary fat pad tumors. Results: ERBB1 and ERBB2 inhibition rapidly (within 3 h) inhibits both tumor cell motility and intravasation. Using gefitinib, ERBB1 inhibition rapidly inhibits tumor cell motility and invasion but not intravasation, whereas ERBB2 inhibition by AG825 rapidly blocks intravasation. Conclusions: ERBB1 and ERBB2 inhibition can rapidly block tumor cell invasive properties. In addition, we differentiate for the first time the contributions of ERBB1 and ERBB2 to the key metastatic properties of in vivo tumor cell invasion and intravasation. These experiments temporally and molecularly separate two key stages in tumor cell entry into blood vessels: invasion and intravasation. These results indicate that ERBB inhibition should be considered for blocking other tumor cell malignant properties besides growth.

Wrch-1 (Wnt-regulated Cdc42 homolog) is a new member of the Rho family that was identified as a gene transcriptionally upregulated by Wnt-1. Wrch-1 has no detectable GTPase activity and displays very high intrinsic guanine nucleotide exchange, implying that it is constitutively GTP-bound. The biological functions of Wrch-1 largely remain to be characterized. Here, we report that Wrch-1 prominently localizes to focal adhesions. Depletion of Wrch-1 by small interfering RNA increases focal adhesion formation, whereas Wrch-1 overexpression disassembles focal adhesions. Wrch-1 depletion inhibits myosin-light-chain phosphorylation, which in turn leads to an increase in the number of focal adhesions and inhibits cell migration in response to wound healing. Depletion of Wrch-1 also inhibits Akt and JNK activation. Although pharmacological inhibitors of Akt and JNK inhibit cell migration, they do not affect focal adhesions. Thus, our data suggest that Wrch-1 regulates cell migration by multiple mechanisms: on the one hand Wrch-1 controls focal adhesions by regulating myosin light chain and on the other hand Wrch-1 stimulates the activation of Akt and JNK.

Members of the Rho family of small GTPases have been shown to be involved in tumorigenesis and metastasis. Currently, most of the available information on the function of Rho proteins in malignant transformation is based on the use of dominant-negative mutants of these GTPases. The specificity of these dominant-negative mutants is limited however. In this study, we used small interfering RNA directed against either Rac1 or Rac3 to reduce their expression specifically. In line with observations using dominant-negative Rac1 in other cell types, we show that RNA interference-mediated depletion of Rac1 strongly inhibits lamellipodia formation, cell migration and invasion in SNB19 glioblastoma cells. Surprisingly however, Rac1 depletion has a much smaller inhibitory effect on SNB19 cell proliferation and survival. Interestingly, whereas depletion of Rac3 strongly inhibits SNB19 cell invasion, it does not affect lamellipodia formation and has only minor effects on cell migration and proliferation. Similar results were obtained in BT549 breast carcinoma cells. Thus, functional analysis of Rac1 and Rac3 using RNA interference reveals a critical role for these GTPases in the invasive behavior of glioma and breast carcinoma cells.

Rho family members play a critical role in malignant transformation. Anchorage-independent growth and the ability to avoid apoptosis caused by loss of anchorage (anoikis) are important features of transformed cells. Here we show that constitutive activation of Rac1 inhibits anoikis in Madin-Darby canine kidney (MDCK) epithelial cells. Constitutively active Rac1-V12 decreases DNA fragmentation and caspase activity by 50% in MDCK cells kept in suspension. In addition, expression of Rac1-V12 in MDCK cells in suspension conditions causes an increase in the number of surviving cells. We also investigated the signaling pathways that are activated by Rac1 to stimulate cell survival. We show that expression of Rac1-V12 in MDCK cells in suspension stimulates a number of signaling cascades that have been implicated in the control of cell survival, including the p42/44 ERK, p38, protein kinase B, and nuclear factor kappaB pathways. Using specific chemical or protein inhibitors of these respective pathways, we show that Rac1-mediated cell survival strongly depends on phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase activity and that activation of ERK, p38, and NF-kappaB are largely dispensable for Rac1 survival signaling. In conclusion, these studies demonstrate that Rac1 can suppress apoptosis in epithelial cells in anchorage-independent conditions and suggest a potential role for Rac1-mediated survival signaling in cell transformation.

The ability of glioma tumor cells to infiltrate the surrounding brain parenchyma makes complete removal of these tumors nearly impossible. We investigated how microglia, the resident macrophages of the brain, stimulate glioma cell invasion. Coculture with microglia stimulates the invasion of GL261 glioma cells in-vitro. Pharmacological inhibition of EGFR using Iressa strongly inhibits microglia-stimulated invasion. Furthermore, we demonstrate using novel CSF-1R (c-fms) inhibitors that CSF-1R signaling is also required for microglial enhancement of glioma invasion. GL261 cells were found to constitutively secrete CSF-1, the levels of which are unaffected by EGF stimulation, EGFR inhibition or coculture with microglia. GL261 tumors orthotopically injected into the brains of C57 mice fed with the CSF-1R inhibitor PLX3397 showed a dramatic reduction in microglia/macrophages infiltration compared with tumors from animals fed control chow. Tumors from the PLX3397-fed animals also showed a 50% reduction in invasion into the parenchyma. We discovered that GL261 cell secretion of CSF-1 is involved in upregulating EGFR ligands in microglia including AREG, EREG and TGFA. Microglia isolated from GL261 tumors express AREG mRNA whereas naïve microglia from control animals do not. Depletion of AREG from microglia using siRNA interfered with their ability to promote GL261 invasion in vitro. These data indicate that during invasion, glioma and microglia cells signal to each other using EGFR Ligands and CSF-1 similar to what has been observed in breast cancer models. The results of this study indicate the possibility of inhibiting glioblastoma invasion by targeting functions of tumor-associated microglia in addition to glioma cells. Citation Format: Salvatore J. Coniglio, Jeffrey E. Segall. Mechanisms of microglia-stimulated glioma invasion. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 104th Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2013 Apr 6-10; Washington, DC. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2013;73(8 Suppl):Abstract nr 4928. doi:10.1158/1538-7445.AM2013-4928

Glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) is the most malignant and lethal form of astrocytoma. GBM patients have a median survival time of approximately one year and therefore it is essential to identify novel targets and effective therapies. There is mounting evidence that microglia (specialized brain-resident macrophages) play a significant role in the development and progression of GBM tumors. We have established a microglia-glioma cell co-culture system consisting of normal microglia from C57Bl/6J mice and syngeneic GL261 glioma cells. We have demonstrated that microglia strongly stimulate the invasive behavior of GL261 cells in this system. Our preliminary data also indicate that the microglia significantly stimulate GL261 cell proliferation and resistance to ionizing radiation (IR) in these conditions. In a search for small molecule inhibitors that block the stimulatory effects of microglia on glioma cells, we have examined CNI-1493, a drug that is known to selectively interfere with macrophage function. We found that CNI-1493 potently inhibits microglia-stimulated GL261 invasion. We also examined the effect of intracranially administered CNI-1493 on orthotopic GL261 tumors in the presence or absence of fractionated whole brain irradiation (10 Gy total). We found that although CNI-1493 only has a marginal benefit in the absence of IR, it strongly stimulates animal survival in combination with IR: whereas IR treatment increases survival by 10 days, IR in combination with CNI-1493 treatment extends survival beyond 40 days. In conclusion, our observations support the notion that pharmacological targeting of microglia may be beneficial as adjuvant therapy in conjunction with ionizing radiation. Citation Format: {Authors}. {Abstract title} [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 103rd Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2012 Mar 31-Apr 4; Chicago, IL. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2012;72(8 Suppl):Abstract nr LB-503. doi:1538-7445.AM2012-LB-503

The ability of glioma tumor cells to infiltrate the surrounding brain parenchyma makes complete removal of these tumors nearly impossible. We investigated how microglia, the resident macrophages of the brain, stimulate glioma cell invasion. Coculture with microglia stimulates the invasion of GL261 glioma cells in-vitro. Pharmacological inhibition of EGFR using Iressa completely inhibits microglia-stimulated invasion and sequestration of EGF using an EGF-specific function-blocking antibody also fully inhibits microglia-stimulated glioma invasion. Furthermore, we demonstrate using novel CSF-1R (c-fms) inhibitors that CSF-1R signaling is also required for microglial enhancement of glioma invasion. GL261 cells were found to constitutively secrete CSF-1, the levels of which are unaffected by EGF stimulation, EGFR inhibition or coculture with microglia. In addition, GL261 tumors orthotopically injected into the brains of C57 mice fed with PLX3397 were compromised in their ability to recruit microglia/macrophages. Interestingly, tumors from these animals also showed a 50% reduction in invasion into the parenchyma. These data indicate that during invasion, glioma and microglia cells signal to each other using EGF and CSF-1 similar to what has been observed in breast cancer models. The results of this study indicate the possibility of inhibiting glioblastoma invasion by targeting functions of tumor-associated microglia in addition to glioma cells. Citation Format: {Authors}. {Abstract title} [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 103rd Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2012 Mar 31-Apr 4; Chicago, IL. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2012;72(8 Suppl):Abstract nr 46. doi:1538-7445.AM2012-46

Introduction Medulloblastoma, accounting for 25% of pediatric brain tumors, is the most common solid primary tumor of childhood. These tumors display cellular invasion into adjacent parenchyma and subsequently CSF causing metastasis and poor prognosis. The Rac1 GTPase has been shown to be essential for the invasiveness of several tumor types. We therefore investigated Rac1's role in medulloblastoma invasion and growth. Methods Specific depletion of Rac1 was achieved by RNA interference utilizing two independent small interfering RNA (siRNA) oligonucleotides targeted toward Rac1. The activity of MAP kinase pathways was modulated by using specific inhibitors of MEK (U0126), JNK (SP600125), p38 (SB203580), and mTOR (rapamycin). Cell invasion was determined using Matrigel (reconstituted extracellular matrix) transwell invasion chambers. The actin cytoskeleton was visualized using FITC-phalloidin. Results Depletion of Rac1 in DAOY and UW-228 cells inhibits invasion by 70%. Depletion of Rac1 strongly inhibits s...

Introduction Neu (HER2/ErbB2) is overexpressed in 25% to 30% of human breast cancer, correlating with a poor prognosis. Researchers in previous studies who used the mouse mammary tumor virus Neu-transgenic mouse model (MMTV-Neu) demonstrated that the Neu-YB line had increased production of CXCL12 and increased metastasis, whereas the Neu-YD line had decreased metastasis. In this study, we examined the role of increased production of CXCL12 in tumor cell invasion and malignancy. Methods We studied invasion in the tumor microenvironment using multiphoton intravital imaging, in vivo invasion and intravasation assays. CXCL12 signaling was altered by using the CXCR4 inhibitor AMD3100 or by increasing CXCL12 expression. The role of macrophage signaling in vivo was determined using a colony-stimulating factor 1 receptor (CSF-1R) blocking antibody. Results The Neu-YD strain was reduced in invasion, intravasation and metastasis compared to the Neu-YB and Neu deletion mutant (activated receptor) strains. Remarkably, in the Neu-YB strain, in vivo invasion to epidermal growth factor was dependent on both CXCL12-CXCR4 and CSF1-CSF-1R signaling. Neu-YB tumors had increased macrophage and microvessel density. Overexpression of CXCL12 in rat mammary adenocarcinoma cells increased in vivo invasion as well as microvessel and macrophage density. Conclusions Expression of CXCL12 by tumor cells results in increased macrophage and microvessel density and in vivo invasiveness.