title: Endothelin-1 induces tumor proteinase activation and invasiveness of ovarian carcinoma cells.
abstract: Endothelin-1 (ET-1) is present at high concentrations in ovarian cancer ascites and is overexpressed in primary and metastatic ovarian carcinoma. In these cells, ET-1 acts as an autocrine mitogenic and angiogenic factor selectively through the ET(A) receptor (ET(A)R). We investigated at mRNA and protein levels whether ET-1 could affect the expression and activation of metastasis-related proteinases and whether this process was associated with ovarian tumor cell invasion. ELISA, gelatin zymography, Western blot, and reverse transcription-PCR analyses demonstrated that in two ovarian carcinoma cell lines (HEY and OVCA 433), the expression of matrix metalloproteinase (MMP) -2, -9, -3, -7, and -13 was up-regulated and activated by ET-1. Moreover we observed that ET-1 was able to enhance the secretion and activation of membrane-type metalloproteinase-1, a critical mediator of invasiveness. The secretion of tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinase-1 and -2 was decreased by ET-1, which increased the net MMP/tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinase balance and the gelatinolytic capacity. In addition, ET-1 induced overexpression of urokinase-type plasminogen activator, its receptor, and plasminogen activator inhibitor type-1 and -2. Finally, we demonstrated that, in HEY and OVCA 433 cells, ET-1 dose-dependently increased migration and MMP-dependent invasion through Matrigel. BQ123, an antagonist of the ET(A)R, inhibited the ET-1-induced tumor protease activity and subsequent increase in cell migration and invasion. These findings demonstrate that ET-1 promotes ovarian carcinoma cell invasion, acting through the ET(A)R by up-regulating secretion and activation of multiple tumor proteinases. Therefore, ET-1 may represent a key component of more aggressive ligand-induced invasiveness of ovarian carcinoma.
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Molecular Pathology and Ultrastructure, Regina Elena Cancer Institute, Via delle Messi d'Oro 156, 00158 Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Rosanò
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Varmi
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Salani
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Di Castro
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Spinella
authors.forename: P G
authors.initials: PG
authors.lastname: Natali
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Bagnato
mesh_terms: D002465:Cell Movement / Q000187:drug effects; D019332:Endothelin-1 / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000502:physiology; D004789:Enzyme Activation; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D020782:Matrix Metalloproteinases / Q000378:metabolism*; D009361:Neoplasm Invasiveness; D010051:Ovarian Neoplasms / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology*; D015849:Plasminogen Inactivators / Q000378:metabolism; D011956:Receptors, Cell Surface / Q000378:metabolism; D055293:Receptors, Urokinase Plasminogen Activator; D019715:Tissue Inhibitor of Metalloproteinase-1 / Q000378:metabolism; D019716:Tissue Inhibitor of Metalloproteinase-2 / Q000378:metabolism; D014407:Tumor Cells, Cultured; D014568:Urokinase-Type Plasminogen Activator / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D019332:Endothelin-1; C524898:PLAUR protein, human; D015849:Plasminogen Inactivators; D011956:Receptors, Cell Surface; D055293:Receptors, Urokinase Plasminogen Activator; D019715:Tissue Inhibitor of Metalloproteinase-1; D019716:Tissue Inhibitor of Metalloproteinase-2; D014568:Urokinase-Type Plasminogen Activator; D020782:Matrix Metalloproteinases