Production of sulfated proteoglycans by human breast cancer cell lines: Binding to fibroblast growth factor-2

The cellular distribution and nature of proteoglycans synthesised by human breast cancer cells in culture were studied. Proteoglycans were labelled with [³⁵S] sulfate, purified, and characterised after ion-exchange chromatography followed by gel-filtration chromatography and treatment with glycosaminoglycan degrading enzymes. Proteoglycans were isolated from the culture medium and from cell layers of the hormono-dependent well-differentiated MCF-7 cell line, the hormono-independent poorly-differentiated MDA-MB-231 and the HBL-100 cell line which is derived from non malignant breast epithelium. HBL-100 and MDA-MB-231 cells produced larger amounts of proteoglycans which had a lower degree of sulfation than MCF-7 cells. Gel-filtration chromatography on Sepharose CL-6B indicated that HBL-100 and MDA-MB-231 cells accumulated cell surface heparan sulfate proteoglycans (HSPG), with a high apparent molecular weight (K_av 0.1). In contrast, the MCF-7 cell monolayers synthesised small sulfated macromolecules (K_av 0.4) which possessed mostly chondroitin sulfate chains. Moreover, considerable differences in the nature of the sulfated proteoglycans released into the culture medium of these breast epithelial cell lines were observed. MCF-7 cells released into the culture medium HSPG as the main proteoglycan component while MDA-MB-231 and HBL-100 cells released mainly chondroitin sulfate proteoglycans. In these three cell lines, medium-released sulfated macromolecules have a higher hydrodynamic size than cell-associated ones. Proteoglycans purified by ion-exchange chromatography were tested for their ability to bind ¹²⁵I FGF-2. We demonstrated that HBL-100 and MDA-MB-231 cells bind more FGF-2 to their heparan sulfate proteoglycans than MCF-7 cells. Taken together, these results suggest that differences in proteoglycan synthesis of human breast epithelial cells could be responsible for differences in their proliferative and/or invasive properties. J. Cell. Biochem. 64:605–617. © 1997 Wiley-Liss, Inc.     

Lipoprotein-associated alpha-tocopheryl-succinate inhibits cell growth and induces apoptosis in human MCF-7 and HBL-100 breast cancer cells

alpha-Tocopheryl succinate (alpha-TS) is a potent inhibitor of tumor cell proliferation. The goal of the present study was to investigate whether and to what extent alpha-TS associates with plasma lipoproteins and if alpha-TS-enriched lipoproteins inhibit breast cancer cell growth in a manner comparable to the free drug. In vitro enrichment of human plasma revealed that alpha-TS readily associated with the main lipoprotein classes, findings confirmed in vivo in mice. At the highest alpha-TS concentrations, lipoproteins carrying 50000 (VLDL), 5000 (LDL) and 700 (HDL) alpha-TS molecules per lipoprotein particle were generated. alpha-TS enrichment generated lipoprotein particles with slightly decreased density and increased particle radius. To study whether the level of LDL-receptor (LDL-R) expression affects alpha-TS uptake from apoB/E containing lipoprotein particles human breast cancer cells with low (MCF-7) and normal (HBL-100) LDL-R expression were used. The uptake of free, VLDL- and (apoE-free) HDL(3)-associated alpha-TS was nearly identical for both cell lines. In contrast, uptake of LDL-associated alpha-TS by HBL-100 cells (normal LDL-R expression) was about twice as high as compared to MCF-7 cells (low LDL-R expression). VLDL and LDL-associated alpha-TS inhibited proliferation most effectively at the highest concentration of alpha-TS used (100% inhibition of MCF-7 growth with 20 microg/ml of lipoprotein-associated alpha-TS). However, also alpha-TS-free VLDL and LDL inhibited HBL-100 cell proliferation up to 55%. In both cell lines, alpha-TS-enriched HDL(3) inhibited cell growth by 40-60%. Incubation of both cell lines in the presence of free or lipoprotein-associated alpha-TS resulted in DNA fragmentation indicative of apoptosis. Collectively, the present findings demonstrate that: (1) alpha-TS readily associates with lipoproteins in vitro and in vivo; (2) the lipoprotein-enrichment efficacy was dependent on the particle size and/or the triglyceride content of the lipoprotein; (3) uptake of LDL-associated alpha-TS was apparently dependent on the level of LDL-R expression; and (4) lipoproteins were efficient alpha-TS carriers inducing reduced cell proliferation rates and apoptosis in human breast cancer cells as observed for the free drug.     

Snail/beta-catenin signaling protects breast cancer cells from hypoxia attack

The tolerance of cancer cells to hypoxia depends on the combination of different factors – from increase of glycolysis (Warburg Effect) to activation of intracellular growth/apoptotic pathways. Less is known about the influence of epithelial–mesenchymal transition (EMT) and EMT-associated pathways on the cell sensitivity to hypoxia. The aim of this study was to explore the role of Snail signaling, one of the key EMT pathways, in the mediating of hypoxia response and regulation of cell sensitivity to hypoxia, using as a model in vitro cultured breast cancer cells. Earlier we have shown that estrogen-independent HBL-100 breast cancer cells differ from estrogen-dependent MCF-7 cells with increased expression of Snail1, and demonstrated Snail1 involvement into formation of hormone-resistant phenotype. Because Snail1 belongs to hypoxia-activated proteins, here we studied the influence of Snail1 signaling on the cell tolerance to hypoxia. We found that Snail1-enriched HBL-100 cells were less sensitive to hypoxia-induced growth suppression if compared with MCF-7 line (31% MCF-7 vs. 71% HBL-100 cell viability after 1% O₂ atmosphere for 3 days). Snail1 knock-down enhanced the hypoxia-induced inhibition of cell proliferation giving the direct evidence of Snail1 involvement into cell protection from hypoxia attack. The protective effect of Snail1 was shown to be mediated, at least in a part, via beta-catenin which positively regulated expression of HIF-1-dependent genes. Finally, we found that cell tolerance to hypoxia was accompanied with the failure in the phosphorylation of AMPK – the key energy sensor, and demonstrated an inverse relationship between AMPK and Snail/beta-catenin signaling.Totally, our data show that Snail1 and beta-catenin, besides association with loss of hormone dependence, protect cancer cells from hypoxia and may serve as an important target in the treatment of breast cancer. Moreover, we suggest that the level of these proteins as well the level of AMPK phosphorylation may be considered as predictors of the tumor sensitivity to anti-angiogenic drugs.     

The effect of recombinant human tumour necrosis factor on growth and macromolecular synthesis of human epithelial cells

We have studied the effect of recombinant human tumour necrosis factor (rHuTNF) on growth and macromolecular synthesis in a range of normal and transformed epithelial cell types. Tumour necrosis factor did not affect the growth of normal human mammary epithelial cells, but its growth-inhibitory action on the SV40-transformed human mammary epithelial cell line HBL-100 increased with passage number in association with a progression of malignant phenotype. However, of two lines derived from nude mouse tumours of HBL-100 lines, one, HBLT-12, did not respond to rHuTNF, and the other, HBLT-11 showed some growth stimulation by high dose rHuTNF. Macromolecular synthesis in HBLT-11 was not affected by rHuTNF. The breast cancer cell lines MCF-7 and BT20 were sensitive to the cytotoxic effects of rHuTNF. In MCF-7 a gradual decrease in RNA and DNA synthesis occurred over 48 h, ending with an accumulation of cells in S and G2 phase of the cell cycle and cell death. The addition of alpha- or gamma-interferon increased, but did not accelerate the cytotoxicity of rHuTNF.     

Inhibition of MCF-7 breast cancer cell proliferation by MCF-10A breast epithelial cells in coculture

A coculture system was developed to investigate the interactions between MCF-10A breast epithelial cells and MCF-7 breast cancer cells stably expressing the green fluorescent protein (MCF-7-GFP). Studies with this MCF-10A/MCF-7-GFP coculture system on microtiter plates and on reconstituted basement membrane (Matrigel), revealed paracrine inhibition of MCF-7-GFP cell proliferation. Epidermal growth factor, which in monocultures modestly enhanced MCF-7-GFP and markedly increased MCF-10A cell proliferation, greatly inhibited MCF-7-GFP cell proliferation in MCF-10A/MCF-7-GFP cocultures. 17beta-Estradiol, which stimulated MCF-7-GFP but not MCF-10A cell proliferation in monoculture, inhibited MCF-7-GFP cell proliferation in MCF-10A/MCF-7-GFP cocultures, an effect that was blocked by the antiestrogen, ICI 182,780. On Matrigel, complex MCF-10A/MCF-7-GFP cellular interactions were observed in real time that resulted in the formation of acinus-like structures. These results indicate a role of normal epithelial cells in inhibiting tumor-cell proliferation and demonstrate the utility of this coculture system as a model of early paracrine control of breast cancer.     

Estrogen receptor alpha mediates epithelial to mesenchymal transition,expression of specific matrix effectors and functional properties of breast cancer cells

The 17β-estradiol (E2)/estrogen receptor alpha (ERα) signaling pathway is one of the most important pathways in hormone-dependent breast cancer. E2 plays pivotal roles in cancer cell growth, survival, and architecture as well as in gene expression regulatory mechanisms. In this study, we established stably transfected MCF-7 cells by knocking down the ERα gene (designated as MCF-7/SP10 + cells), using specific shRNA lentiviral particles, and compared them with the control cells (MCF-7/c). Interestingly, ERα silencing in MCF-7 cells strongly induced cellular phenotypic changes accompanied by significant changes in gene and protein expression of several markers typical of epithelial to mesenchymal transition (EMT). Notably, these cells exhibited enhanced cell proliferation, migration and invasion. Moreover, ERα suppression strongly affected the gene and protein expression of EGFR and HER2 receptor tyrosine kinases, and various extracellular matrix (ECM) effectors, including matrix metalloproteinases and their endogenous inhibitors (MMPs/TIMPs) and components of the plasminogen activation system. The action caused by E2 in MCF-7/c cells in the expression of HER2, MT1-MMP, MMP1, MMP9, uPA, tPA, and PAI-1 was abolished in MCF-7/SP10 + cells lacking ERα. These data suggested a regulatory role for the E2/ERα pathway in respect to the composition and activity of the extracellular proteolytic molecular network. Notably, loss of ERα promoted breast cancer cell migration and invasion by inducing changes in the expression levels of certain matrix macromolecules (especially uPA, tPA, PAI-1) through the EGFR–ERK signaling pathway.In conclusion, loss of ERα in breast cancer cells results in a potent EMT characterized by striking changes in the expression profile of specific matrix macromolecules highlighting the potential nodal role of matrix effectors in breast cancer endocrine resistance.     

Cripto-1 overexpression leads to enhanced invasiveness and resistance to anoikis in human MCF-7 breast cancer cells

Cripto-1 (CR-1) is an epidermal growth factor (EGF)-CFC protein that has been shown to signal through nodal/Alk-4, PI3K/Akt, and/or ras/raf/MEK/MAPK pathways in mammalian cells, and that is frequently expressed in human primary breast carcinomas. In the present study, the human estrogen receptor positive, MCF-7 breast cancer cell line, that expresses low levels of endogenous CR-1, was transfected with a CR-1 expression vector. MCF-7 CR-1 cells expressed high levels of a 25 kDa recombinant CR-1 protein that was not detected in MCF-7 cells transfected with a control vector (MCF-7 neo). Overexpression of CR-1 did not induce an estrogen independent phenotype in MCF-7 cells. In fact, MCF-7 CR-1 cells showed a response to exogenous estrogens that was similar to MCF-7 neo cells, and failed to grow in immunosuppressed mice in absence of estrogen stimulation. However, MCF-7 CR-1 cells showed a rate of proliferation in serum free conditions, and an ability to form colonies in soft-agar that were higher as compared with MCF-7 neo cells. More importantly, overexpression of CR-1 enhanced the resistance to anoikis and the invasion ability of MCF-7 cells. MCF-7 CR-1 cells showed levels of activation of both Akt and Smad-2 that were significantly higher as compared with MCF-7 neo. These findings suggest that CR-1 overexpression might be associated with the progression towards a more aggressive phenotype in breast carcinoma, through the activation of both Akt and Smad-2 signalling pathways.     

MDM2反义寡核苷酸联合紫杉醇对乳腺癌MCF-7细胞株的作用

目的:探讨靶向MDM2反义寡核苷酸(ASON)联合紫杉醇对乳腺癌MCF-7细胞株的影响。方法:合成一段与MDM2 mRNA特异性结合的反义寡核苷酸和与反义寡核苷酸有4个碱基不同的的错义寡核苷酸(MON),脂质体2000介导不同浓度的MDM2ASON转染MCF-7乳腺癌细胞系,转染的乳腺癌细胞通过1μmol/L紫杉醇药物处理后,采用RT-PCR和Western Blot方法检测MDM2 ASON联合紫杉醇的协同作用及对乳腺癌MCF-7细胞株的抑制效率,MTT观察给药后MCF-7细胞的增殖能力和药物敏感性。结果:MDM2反义寡核苷酸联合紫杉醇明显下调MDM2 mRNA及MDM2蛋白表达水平,抑制MCF-7细胞的生长,随着MDM2 ASON浓度的增加,MDM2表达越来越低,协同作用越来越强,呈剂量依赖关系,A500联合紫杉醇的协同作用最明显,MTT显示紫杉醇处理的转染MCF-7细胞增殖抑制率明显增高,A500抑制增殖作用最明显,抑制率达(13.0±0.84)%。结论:不同浓度MDM2 ASON转染后的乳腺癌MCF-7细胞,等浓度紫杉醇处理后,乳腺癌MCF-7细胞MDM2表达明显降低,细胞凋亡增加,,MDM2 ASON联合紫杉醇对MCF-7细胞有协同作用,提高了乳腺癌MCF-7细胞对紫杉醇的药物敏感性。     

下调CENP-E对乳腺癌MCF-7细胞的影响

目的:探讨有丝分裂检查点蛋白着丝粒蛋白-E(CENP-E)基因在肿瘤发生发展中的作用。方法:利用shRNA下调CENP-E基因的表达,分别用巢式PCR和Western blot检测CENP-E mRNA和蛋白的表达;MTT检测CENP-E下调后MCF-7细胞的增殖变化;流式细胞术检测CENP-E下调后对MCF-7细胞凋亡的影响;Transwell试验检测MCF-7细胞的迁移和侵袭能力变化;间接免疫荧光检测细胞内CENP-E蛋白和有丝分裂情况。结果:shRNA能有效抑制CENP-E mRNA和蛋白的表达。MTT结果显示CENP-E下调后MCF-7细胞的增殖能力减弱(P<0.05);流式细胞术显示下调CENP-E后能促进MCF-7细胞的凋亡;间接荧光结果显示CENP-E干扰后MCF-7细胞内CENP-E蛋白减少并伴有核分裂异常;Transwell试验显示CENP-E干扰组细胞的迁移和侵袭能力增强(P<0.05)。结论:下调部分CENP-E的表达能抑制MCF-7细胞的增殖,促进MCF-7细胞的凋亡,增强MCF-7细胞的迁移和侵袭能力。     

长链非编码RNA SNHG3对人乳腺癌细胞MCF-7增殖、迁移与侵袭的影响 *

目的:探讨长链非编码RNA SNHG3对人乳腺癌细胞MCF-7增殖、迁移与侵袭的影响。方法:构建SNHG3过表达质粒,实验分别设置阴性对照组(pcDNA-3.1+)与SNHG3基因过表达组(pcDNA-3.1+/SNHG3)。将MCF-7细胞转染对照组质粒和SNHG3过表达质粒,采用实时定量PCR 方法检测 SNHG3 mRNA 转录水平,Western blot 检测MMP9及EMT相关蛋白质水平;集落形成实验检测MCF-7细胞增殖能力;划痕愈合实验检测MCF-7细胞横向迁移能力; Transwell 小室实验检测MCF-7细胞纵向迁移能力及侵袭能力。结果:过表达SNHG3后,MCF-7细胞中SNHG3的mRNA水平显著增高(P<0.001);MCF-7细胞的体外增殖能力明显增加(P<0.01),迁移(P<0.01)与侵袭能力(P<0.001)也显著增强,实时定量PCR, Western blot 结果显示SNHG3可激活EMT相关通路。结论:过表达SNHG3可能通过激活EMT通路促进乳腺癌MCF-7细胞的增殖,迁移与侵袭。     

阻断VEGF旁分泌通路抑制乳腺癌血管生成与肿瘤生长

以人乳腺癌细胞株MCF 7为研究对象 ,通过构建有义与反义血管内皮生长因子 (VEGF)基因表达质粒 ,并转染MCF 7细胞 ,建立了高与低水平表达VEGF的细胞克隆。稳定转染反义VEGF表达质粒的细胞产生和分泌VEGF的能力明显下降 ,尽管在体外培养条件下细胞的增殖速度与未经转染的对照相比不是减慢而是略有增快 ,但在体内的成瘤能力、生长速度和转移能力等却明显低于未经转染的对照细胞或稳定转染有义VEGF表达质粒高水平表达VEGF的细胞克隆。通过体内电穿孔技术介导反义VEGF12 1及可溶性VEGF受体sFlk 1表达质粒转移至荷瘤鼠肿瘤组织内 ,反义VEGF12 1及sFlk 1的表达能显著抑制肿瘤的生长。研究结果证实了VEGF旁分泌通路在诱导乳腺癌肿瘤血管生成、促进肿瘤生长和转移方面起重要作用 ,阻断VEGF旁分泌通路能有效抑制乳腺癌的生长     

Transient Transfection of a Wild-Type p53 Gene Triggers Resveratrol-Induced Apoptosis in Cancer Cells

Resveratrol is a promising chemopreventive agent that mediates many cellular targets involved in cancer signaling pathways. p53 has been suggested to play a role in the anticancer properties of resveratrol. We investigated resveratrol-induced cytotoxicity in H1299 cells, which are non-small lung cancer cells that have a partial deletion of the gene that encodes the p53 protein. The results for H1299 cells were compared with those for three cell lines that constitutively express wild-type p53: breast cancer MCF-7, adenocarcinomic alveolar basal epithelia A549 and non-small lung cancer H460. Cell viability assays revealed that resveratrol reduced the viability of all four of these cell lines in a dose- and time-dependent manner. MCF-7, A549 and H460 cells were more sensitive to resveratrol than were H1299 cells when exposed to the drug for 24 h at concentrations above 100 µM. Resveratrol also increased the p53 protein levels in MCF-7 cells without altering the p53 mRNA levels, suggesting a post-translational modulation of the protein. The resveratrol-induced cytotoxicity in these cells was partially mediated by p53 and involved the activation of caspases 9 and 7 and the cleavage of PARP. In H1299 cells, resveratrol-induced cytotoxicity was less pronounced and (in contrast to MCF-7 cells) cell death was not accompanied by caspase activation. These findings are consistent with the observation that MCF-7 cells were positively labeled by TUNEL following exposure to 100 µM resveratrol whereas H1299 cells under similar conditions were not labeled by TUNEL. The transient transfection of a wild-type p53-GFP gene caused H1299 cells to become more responsive to the pro-apoptotic properties of resveratrol, similarly to findings in the p53-positive MCF-7 cells. Our results suggest a possible therapeutic strategy based on the use of resveratrol for the treatment of tumors that are typically unresponsive to conventional therapies because of the loss of normal p53 function.     

S100A7-downregulation inhibits epidermal growth factor-induced signaling in breast cancer cells and blocks osteoclast formation

S100A7 is a small calcium binding protein, which has been shown to be differentially expressed in psoriatic skin lesions, as well as in squamous cell tumors of the skin, lung and breast. Although its expression has been correlated to HER+ high-grade tumors and to a high risk of progression, the molecular mechanisms of these S100A7-mediated tumorigenic effects are not well known. Here, we showed for the first time that epidermal growth factor (EGF) induces S100A7 expression in both MCF-7 and MDA-MB-468 cell lines. We also observed a decrease in EGF-directed migration in shRNA-downregulated MDA-MB-468 cell lines. Furthermore, our signaling studies revealed that EGF induced simultaneous EGF receptor phosphorylation at Tyr1173 and HER2 phosphorylation at Tyr1248 in S100A7-downregulated cell lines as compared to the vector-transfected controls. In addition, reduced phosphorylation of Src at tyrosine 416 and p-SHP2 at tyrosine 542 was observed in these downregulated cell lines. Further studies revealed that S100A7-downregulated cells had reduced angiogenesis in vivo based on matrigel plug assays. Our results also showed decreased tumor-induced osteoclastic resorption in an intra-tibial bone injection model involving SCID mice. S100A7-downregulated cells had decreased osteoclast number and size as compared to the vector controls, and this decrease was associated with variations in IL-8 expression in in vitro cell cultures. This is a novel report on the role of S100A7 in EGF-induced signaling in breast cancer cells and in osteoclast formation.     

The type I collagen induction of MT1-MMP-mediated MMP-2 activation is repressed by alphaVbeta3 integrin in human breast cancer cells.

The influence of alphaVbeta3 integrin on MT1-MMP functionality was studied in human breast cancer cells of differing beta3 integrin status. Overexpression of beta3 integrin caused increased cell surface expression of alphaV integrin and increased cellular adhesion to extracellular matrix (ECM) substrates in BT-549, MDA-MB-231 and MCF-7 cells. beta3 integrin expression also enhanced the migration of breast cancer cells on ECM substrates and enhanced collagen gel contraction. In vivo, alphaVbeta3 cooperated with MT1-MMP to increase the growth of MCF-7 cells after orthotopic inoculation in immunocompromised mice, but had no influence on in vitro proliferation. Despite these stimulatory effects, overexpression of beta3 integrin suppressed the type I collagen (Col I) induced MMP-2 activation in all breast cancer cell lines analyzed. This was also evident in extracts from the MCF-7 tumors in vivo, where MMP-2 activation was stimulated by MT1-MMP transfection, but attenuated with beta3 integrin expression. Although our studies confirm important biological effects of alphaVbeta3 integrin on enhancing cell adhesion and migration, ECM remodeling and tumor growth, beta3 integrin caused reduced MMP-2 activation in response to Col I in vitro, which appears to be physiologically relevant, as it was also seen in tumor xenografts in vivo. The reduction of MMP-2 activation (and thus MT1-MMP activity) by alphaVbeta3 in response to Col I may be important in scenarios where cells which are activated for matrix degradation need to preserve some pericellular collagen, perhaps as a substrate for cell adhesion and migration, thus maintaining a balanced level of proteolysis required for efficient tumor growth.