title: Hepatocyte growth factor/scatter factor differentially regulates expression of proangiogenic factors through Egr-1 in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma.
abstract: Hepatocyte growth factor/scatter factor (HGF) and the angiogenesis factors platelet-derived growth factors (PDGF), vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), and interleukin-8 (IL-8) are found in elevated concentrations in serum or tumor tissue of patients with head and neck squamous cell carcinomas (HNSCC), suggesting these factors may be coregulated. A cDNA microarray analysis for HGF-inducible genes revealed that HGF also modulates PDGFA expression, a gene recently shown to be inducible by the transcription factor, early growth response-1 (Egr-1). In the present study, we investigated the potential role of HGF-induced Egr-1 in expression of PDGF, VEGF, and IL-8. HGF induced expression of all three factors and Egr-1 expression and DNA-binding activity. The analysis of promoter sequences showed putative Egr-1 binding sites in the PDGFA or VEGF but not in the IL-8 promoter, and HGF-induced Egr-1-binding activity was confirmed by chromatin immunoprecipitation (ChIP) assay. The maximal basal and HGF-induced promoter activity for the PDGFA gene existed within -630 bp of the promoter region, and overexpression of Egr-1 significantly increased such activity. Consistent with this, expression of PDGFA and VEGF but not IL-8 showed corresponding differences with Egr-1 expression in HNSCC tumor specimens and were strongly suppressed by transfection of Egr-1-antisense or small interference RNA (siRNA) oligonucleotides. HGF-induced expression of Egr-1, PDGFA, and VEGF was suppressed by pharmacologic and siRNA inhibitors of mitogen-activated protein kinase kinase 1/2 (MEK1/2) and protein kinase C (PKC) pathways. We conclude that the HGF-induced activation of transcription factor Egr-1 by MEK1/2- and PKC-dependent mechanisms differentially contributes to expression of PDGF and VEGF, which are important angiogenesis factors and targets for HNSCC therapy.
authors.affiliation: Tumor Biology Section, Head and Neck Surgery Branch, National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders, NIH, Bethesda, Maryland 20892-1419, USA.
authors.forename: Brian
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Worden
authors.forename: Xin Ping
authors.initials: XP
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.forename: Tin Lap
authors.initials: TL
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Lorena
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Bagain
authors.forename: Ning T
authors.initials: NT
authors.lastname: Yeh
authors.forename: Joshua G
authors.initials: JG
authors.lastname: Cohen
authors.forename: Carter
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Van Waes
authors.forename: Zhong
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Chen
mesh_terms: D042501:Angiogenic Proteins / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000235:genetics; D001483:Base Sequence; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D051766:Early Growth Response Protein 1; D015972:Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D006258:Head and Neck Neoplasms / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D017228:Hepatocyte Growth Factor / Q000494:pharmacology*; D006801:Humans; D017874:Immediate-Early Proteins / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D016209:Interleukin-8 / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics; D048369:MAP Kinase Kinase 1 / Q000378:metabolism; D048370:MAP Kinase Kinase 2 / Q000378:metabolism; D042282:Microdissection; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D016376:Oligonucleotides, Antisense / Q000235:genetics; D019869:Phosphatidylinositol 3-Kinases / Q000378:metabolism; D010982:Platelet-Derived Growth Factor / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics; D011493:Protein Kinase C / Q000378:metabolism; D034741:RNA, Small Interfering / Q000235:genetics; D014157:Transcription Factors / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D014162:Transfection; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics
chemical_list: D042501:Angiogenic Proteins; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins; C497325:EGR1 protein, human; D051766:Early Growth Response Protein 1; D017874:Immediate-Early Proteins; D016209:Interleukin-8; D016376:Oligonucleotides, Antisense; D010982:Platelet-Derived Growth Factor; D034741:RNA, Small Interfering; D014157:Transcription Factors; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A; C075278:platelet-derived growth factor A; D017228:Hepatocyte Growth Factor; D019869:Phosphatidylinositol 3-Kinases; D011493:Protein Kinase C; D048369:MAP Kinase Kinase 1; D048370:MAP Kinase Kinase 2