title: PEA3 is necessary for optimal epidermal growth factor receptor-stimulated matrix metalloproteinase expression and invasion of ovarian tumor cells.
abstract: Elevated expression of the epidermal growth factor (EGF) receptor (EGFR) is detected in human ovarian tumors and is associated with decreased recurrence-free and overall survival. EGFR activation affects tumor progression in part by promoting tumor invasion through the induction of prometastatic matrix metalloproteinases (MMP). PEA3, an ETS family transcription factor, is elevated in advanced and metastatic ovarian cancer and regulates MMPs in various cell types, therefore, we investigated whether PEA3 is required for the EGFR-dependent induction of MMP mRNA. MMP-9 and MMP-14 mRNA levels were selectively increased in response to EGFR activity in ovarian tumor cells. EGFR activation resulted in nuclear accumulation of PEA3 and direct binding of PEA3, but not the related protein ETS-1, to the endogenous MMP-9 and MMP-14 promoters. Furthermore, PEA3 overexpression was sufficient to induce MMP-9 and MMP-14 mRNA, tumor cell migration, and invasion, suggesting that PEA3 is an important contributor to the metastatic phenotype. Additionally, inhibition of PEA3 expression via short interfering RNA reduced the EGF induction of MMP-9 and MMP-14 gene expression by 92% and 50%, respectively, and impaired EGF-stimulated tumor cell invasion. These results suggest that PEA3 is regulated by EGFR and that the elevated PEA3 expression detected in human ovarian cancer may divert cells to a more invasive phenotype by regulating MMP-9 and MMP-14.
authors.affiliation: Health Sciences Center, College of Pharmacy, University of New Mexico, MSC 09 5360, 87131-0001 Albuquerque, NM, USA.
authors.forename: Karen D
authors.initials: KD
authors.lastname: Cowden Dahl
authors.forename: Reema
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Zeineldin
authors.forename: Laurie G
authors.initials: LG
authors.lastname: Hudson
mesh_terms: D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D002465:Cell Movement / Q000187:drug effects; D002467:Cell Nucleus / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D004815:Epidermal Growth Factor / Q000494:pharmacology; D066246:ErbB Receptors / Q000378:metabolism*; D005260:Female; D015971:Gene Expression Regulation, Enzymologic / Q000187:drug effects; D015972:Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic / Q000187:drug effects; D006801:Humans; D053511:Matrix Metalloproteinase 14 / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D020780:Matrix Metalloproteinase 9 / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D009361:Neoplasm Invasiveness; D010051:Ovarian Neoplasms / Q000235:genetics* / Q000473:pathology*; D011401:Promoter Regions, Genetic / Q000235:genetics; D011485:Protein Binding / Q000187:drug effects; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D014157:Transcription Factors / Q000172:deficiency / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D012333:RNA, Messenger; D014157:Transcription Factors; C065788:transcription factor PEA3; D004815:Epidermal Growth Factor; D066246:ErbB Receptors; D020780:Matrix Metalloproteinase 9; D053511:Matrix Metalloproteinase 14