CXCR4 drives the metastatic phenotype in breast cancer through induction of CXCR2 and activation of MEK and PI3K pathways

• Published in: Molecular biology of the cell 2014-03, Vol.25 (5), p.566-582
• Main Authors: Sobolik, Tammy, Su, Ying-Jun, Wells, Sam, Ayers, Gregory D, Cook, Rebecca S, Richmond, Ann
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Animals; Breast Neoplasms - genetics; Breast Neoplasms - metabolism; Breast Neoplasms - pathology; Cell Line, Tumor; Cell Movement - genetics; Epithelial-Mesenchymal Transition - genetics; Female; Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic; Genetic Association Studies; HEK293 Cells; HL-60 Cells; Humans; Lymph Nodes - pathology; MAP Kinase Signaling System; MCF-7 Cells; Mice; Mice, Inbred BALB C; Mice, Nude; Models, Biological; Neoplasm Invasiveness - genetics; Neoplasm Invasiveness - pathology; Neoplasm Metastasis - genetics; Neoplasm Metastasis - pathology; Phosphatidylinositol Phosphates - metabolism; Receptors, CXCR4 - genetics; Receptors, CXCR4 - metabolism; Receptors, Interleukin-8B - genetics; Receptors, Interleukin-8B - metabolism; Signal Transduction - genetics; Up-Regulation
• ISSN: 1059-1524; 1939-4586
• DOI: 10.1091/mbc.e13-07-0360

Aberrant expression of CXCR4 in human breast cancer correlates with metastasis to tissues secreting CXCL12. To understand the mechanism by which CXCR4 mediates breast cancer metastasis, MCF-7 breast carcinoma cells were transduced to express wild-type CXCR4 (CXCR4WT) or constitutively active CXCR4 (CXCR4ΔCTD) and analyzed in two-dimensional (2D) cultures, three-dimensional reconstituted basement membrane (3D rBM) cultures, and mice using intravital imaging. Two-dimensional cultures of MCF-7 CXCR4ΔCTD cells, but not CXCR4WT, exhibited an epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT) characterized by up-regulation of zinc finger E box-binding homeobox 1, loss of E-cadherin, up-regulation of cadherin 11, p120 isoform switching, activation of extracellular signal-regulated kinase 1/2, and matrix metalloproteinase-2. In contrast to the 2D environment, MCF-7 CXCR4WT cells cultured in 3D rBM exhibited an EMT phenotype, accompanied by expression of CXCR2, CXCR7, CXCL1, CXCL8, CCL2, interleukin-6, and granulocyte-macrophage colony stimulating factor. Dual inhibition of CXCR2 with CXCR4, or inhibition of either receptor with inhibitors of mitogen-activated protein kinase 1 or phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase, reversed the aggressive phenotype of MCF-7 CXCR4-expressing or MDA-MB-231 cells in 3D rBM. Intravital imaging of CXCR4-expressing MCF-7 cells revealed that tumor cells migrate toward blood vessels and metastasize to lymph nodes. Thus CXCR4 can drive EMT along with an up-regulation of chemokine receptors and cytokines important in cell migration, lymphatic invasion, and tumor metastasis.