title: Human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 regulates angiopoietin-2 expression in breast cancer via AKT and mitogen-activated protein kinase pathways.
abstract: Abnormal activation of human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2; ErbB-2) in breast tumors results in increased metastasis and angiogenesis, as well as reduced survival. Here, we show that angiopoietin-2 (Ang-2) expression correlates with HER2 activity in human breast cancer cell lines. Inhibiting HER2 activity with anti-HER2 monoclonal antibody trastuzumab (Herceptin) or HER2 short interfering RNA in tumor cells down-regulates Ang-2 expression. Consistent with the important roles of AKT and mitogen-activated protein kinase in the HER2 signaling pathway, AKT and ERK mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) kinase activity is necessary for Ang-2 up-regulation by HER2. Moreover, overexpression of HER2 protein up-regulates Ang-2 expression. Heregulin-beta1-induced Ang-2 up-regulation is abrogated when AKT and ERK kinase activity are blocked. Immunohistochemical analysis of HER2 and Ang-2 proteins in human breast carcinomas shows that Ang-2 expression in breast cancer correlates with HER2 expression. These studies provide evidence that the Ang-2 gene is regulated by HER2 activity in breast cancer, and propose an additional mechanism for HER2 contributing to tumor angiogenesis and metastasis.
authors.affiliation: Don and Erika Wallace Comprehensive Breast Program, H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center, University of South Florida College of Medicine, 12902 Magnolia Drive, Tampa, FL 33612, USA.
authors.forename: Guilian
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Niu
authors.forename: W Bradford
authors.initials: WB
authors.lastname: Carter
mesh_terms: D042702:Angiopoietin-2 / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000235:genetics; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000201:enzymology / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D015536:Down-Regulation; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D020935:MAP Kinase Signaling System; D020929:Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase Kinases / Q000378:metabolism*; D019869:Phosphatidylinositol 3-Kinases / Q000378:metabolism; D051057:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-akt / Q000378:metabolism*; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics; D018719:Erb-b2 Receptor Tyrosine Kinases / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D014162:Transfection; D015854:Up-Regulation
chemical_list: D042702:Angiopoietin-2; D020929:Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase Kinases; D019869:Phosphatidylinositol 3-Kinases; D051057:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-akt; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D018719:Erb-b2 Receptor Tyrosine Kinases