Heregulin-β1-induced GPR30 upregulation promotes the migration and invasion potential of SkBr3 breast cancer cells via ErbB2/ErbB3–MAPK/ERK pathway

• Published in: Biochemical and biophysical research communications 2012-04, Vol.420 (2), p.385-390
• Main Authors: Ruan, Shu-Qin, Wang, Zhan-Huai, Wang, Shan-Wei, Fu, Zhi-Xuan, Xu, Kan-Lun, Li, Dong-Bo, Zhang, Su-Zhan
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Breast cancer; Breast Neoplasms - metabolism; Breast Neoplasms - pathology; Cell Line, Tumor; Cell Movement; Female; GPR30; Heregulin; Humans; Invasion; MAP Kinase Signaling System; Migration; Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase Kinases - metabolism; Neoplasm Invasiveness; Neuregulin-1 - metabolism; Receptor, ErbB-2 - metabolism; Receptor, ErbB-3 - metabolism; Receptors, Estrogen - biosynthesis; Receptors, G-Protein-Coupled - biosynthesis; Tamoxifen; Up-Regulation
• ISSN: 0006-291X; 1090-2104
• DOI: 10.1016/j.bbrc.2012.03.004

► HRG-β1 upregulates GPR30 expression in SkBr3 breast cancer cells. ► ErbB2/ErbB3–MAPK/ERK pathway is involved in HRG-β1-induced GPR30. ► The elevated GPR30 by HRG-β1 boosts SkBr3 cells to migrate and invade. ► The up-regulation of GPR30 might be relative to endocrine therapy resistance. Estrogen receptor (ER)-negative breast cancer cells are probably more aggressive with larger metastatic potential than ER-positive cells. Loss of ER in recurrent breast cancer is associated with poor response to endocrine therapy. G protein-coupled receptor 30 (GPR30) is expressed in half of ER-negative breast cancers. Tumor cell-derived heregulin-β1 (HRG-β1) is also found mainly in ER-negative cancer. In SkBr3 breast cancer cells that lack ER but express GPR30, HRG-β1 upregulates mRNA and protein levels of GPR30 by promoting ErbB2–ErbB3 heterodimerization and activating the downstream MAPK–ERK signaling pathway. Moreover, GPR30 boosts HRG-β1-induced migration and invasion of SkBr3 cells after combinative treatment with E2, 4-hydroxy-tamoxifen or the specific GPR30 agonist G-1, which are blocked by the specific GPR30 antagonist G-15 or the transfection with the small interfering RNA for GPR30. The ErbB2 inhibitor AG825 and the MEK1/2 inhibitor U0126 also partly inhibit the enhanced migration and invasion. Therefore, HRG-β1-induced migration and invasion partly depend on the upregulation of GPR30 expression through activation of the ErbB2–ERK pathway in SkBr3 cells. The results of this study indicate that the crosstalk between GPR30 and HRGs signaling is important for endocrine therapy resistance and may provide a new therapeutic way to treat breast cancer.