Effects of blocking urokinase receptor signaling by antisense oligonucleotides in a mouse model of experimental prostate cancer bone metastases.
An important factor implicated in tumor cell predisposition for invasion and metastasis is the malignancy-related upregulation of urokinase plasminogen activator receptor (uPAR). uPAR signals by activating different tyrosine kinases in different cells. We examined the effects of inhibiting uPAR signaling by inhibition of uPAR expression with antisense oligonucleotides (aODNs) in PC3 human prostate cancer cells and evaluated aODN effect in a mouse model of prostate cancer bone metastasis. Following uPAR aODN treatment, PC3 cells exhibited a strong decrease in uPAR expression, evaluated by flow cytometry and by polymerase chain reaction, and of FAK/JNK/Jun phosphorylation. The synthesis of cyclins A, B, D1 and D3 was inhibited, as shown by Western blotting, flow cytometry and polymerase chain reaction, and PC3 cells accumulated in the G2 phase of the cell cycle. PC3 cells' adhesion was unaffected, while proliferation and invasion of Matrigel were impaired. A total of 60 mice were subjected to intracardiac injection of PC3 cells and were randomly assigned to three groups: aODN (treated with 0.5 mg intraperitoneum/mouse/day), dODN (treated with the same amounts of a degenerated ODN) and control (injected with a saline solution). At 28 days after heart injection, mice were subjected to a digital scan of total body radiography, which revealed 80% reduction in mice affected by bone metastasis. The use of uPAR aODNs produced a substantial prophylactic effect against prostate cancer bone metastasis, which has to be ascribed to downregulation of uPAR expression.
Margheri
F
F
Department of Experimental Pathology and Oncology, University of Florence, Italy.
D'Alessio
S
S
Serratí
S
S
Pucci
M
M
Annunziato
F
F
Cosmi
L
L
Liotta
F
F
Angeli
R
R
Angelucci
A
A
Gravina
G L
GL
Rucci
N
N
Bologna
M
M
Teti
A
A
Monia
B
B
Fibbi
G
G
Del Rosso
M
M
D000818:Animals; D001859:Bone Neoplasms / Q000378:metabolism / Q000556:secondary* / Q000628:therapy*; D002448:Cell Adhesion; D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D049109:Cell Proliferation; D019925:Cyclin A / Q000032:analysis / Q000378:metabolism; D019926:Cyclin B / Q000032:analysis / Q000378:metabolism; D056744:Cyclin B1; D019938:Cyclin D1 / Q000032:analysis / Q000378:metabolism; D056743:Cyclin D3; D016213:Cyclins / Q000032:analysis / Q000378:metabolism; D005109:Extracellular Matrix / Q000378:metabolism; D015316:Genetic Therapy / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D007267:Injections; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008819:Mice, Nude; D009368:Neoplasm Transplantation; D016376:Oligonucleotides, Antisense / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D011471:Prostatic Neoplasms / Q000378:metabolism / Q000628:therapy*; D011956:Receptors, Cell Surface / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D055293:Receptors, Urokinase Plasminogen Activator; D015398:Signal Transduction
C534699:CCNB1 protein, human; C534696:CCND3 protein, human; C534700:Ccnb1 protein, mouse; C534697:Ccnd3 protein, mouse; D019925:Cyclin A; D019926:Cyclin B; D056744:Cyclin B1; D056743:Cyclin D3; D016213:Cyclins; D016376:Oligonucleotides, Antisense; C524898:PLAUR protein, human; C524899:Plaur protein, mouse; D011956:Receptors, Cell Surface; D055293:Receptors, Urokinase Plasminogen Activator; D019938:Cyclin D1