title: Down-regulation of uPA and uPAR by 3,3'-diindolylmethane contributes to the inhibition of cell growth and migration of breast cancer cells.
abstract: 3,3'-Diindolylmethane (DIM) is a known anti-tumor agent against breast and other cancers; however, its exact mechanism of action remains unclear. The urokinase plasminogen activator (uPA) and its receptor (uPAR) system are involved in the degradation of basement membrane and extracellular matrix, leading to tumor cell invasion and metastasis. Since uPA-uPAR system is highly activated in aggressive breast cancer, we hypothesized that the biological activity of B-DIM could be mediated via inactivation of uPA-uPAR system. We found that B-DIM treatment as well as silencing of uPA-uPAR led to the inhibition of cell growth and motility of MDA-MB-231 cells, which was in part due to inhibition of VEGF and MMP-9. Moreover, silencing of uPA-uPAR led to decreased sensitivity of these cells to B-DIM indicating an important role of uPA-uPAR in B-DIM-mediated inhibition of cell growth and migration. We also found similar effects of B-DIM on MCF-7, cells expressing low levels of uPA-uPAR, which was due to direct down-regulation of MMP-9 and VEGF, independent of uPA-uPAR system. Interestingly, over-expression of uPA-uPAR in MCF-7 cells attenuated the inhibitory effects of B-DIM. Our results, therefore, suggest that B-DIM down-regulates uPA-uPAR in aggressive breast cancers but in the absence of uPA-uPAR, B-DIM can directly inhibit VEGF and MMP-9 leading to the inhibition of cell growth and migration of breast cancer cells.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, Barbara Ann Karmanos Cancer Center, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, Michigan 48201, USA.
authors.forename: Aamir
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ahmad
authors.forename: Dejuan
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Kong
authors.forename: Zhiwei
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Sanila H
authors.initials: SH
authors.lastname: Sarkar
authors.forename: Sanjeev
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Banerjee
authors.forename: Fazlul H
authors.initials: FH
authors.lastname: Sarkar
mesh_terms: D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000378:metabolism*; D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D002465:Cell Movement; D049109:Cell Proliferation; D002470:Cell Survival; D015972:Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic; D020868:Gene Silencing; D006801:Humans; D007211:Indoles / Q000494:pharmacology*; D020780:Matrix Metalloproteinase 9 / Q000378:metabolism; D009361:Neoplasm Invasiveness; D055293:Receptors, Urokinase Plasminogen Activator / Q000378:metabolism*; D014568:Urokinase-Type Plasminogen Activator / Q000378:metabolism*; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D007211:Indoles; D055293:Receptors, Urokinase Plasminogen Activator; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A; D014568:Urokinase-Type Plasminogen Activator; D020780:Matrix Metalloproteinase 9; C016392:3,3'-diindolylmethane
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