title: PAI-1 mediates the TGF-beta1+EGF-induced "scatter" response in transformed human keratinocytes.
abstract: Cooperative interactions between growth factor signaling pathways are important elements in carcinoma progression. A model system combining transforming growth factor-beta1 (TGF-beta1) and EGF was developed to investigate mechanisms underlying induced epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT) in ras-transformed human (HaCaT II-4) keratinocytes. Dual stimulation with TGF-beta1+EGF resulted in keratinocyte "plasticity" and pronounced colony dispersal. The most highly expressed transcript, identified by mRNA profiling, encoded plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 (PAI-1; SERPINE1). PAI-1 negatively regulates plasmin-dependent matrix degradation, preserving a stromal scaffold permissive for keratinocyte motility. Mitogen-activated extracellular kinase (MEK)/extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) and p38 signaling were required for maximal PAI-1 upregulation and TGF-beta1+EGF-stimulated cell locomotion, as pharmacologic disruption of MEK/p38 activity ablated both responses. Moreover, PAI-1 knockdown alone effectively inhibited TGF-beta1+EGF-dependent cell scattering, indicating a functional role for this SERPIN in the dual-growth factor model of induced motility. Moreover, EGFR signaling blockade or EGFR knockdown attenuated TGF-beta1-induced PAI-1 expression, implicating EGFR transactivation in TGF-beta1-stimulated PAI-1 expression, and reduced colony dispersal in TGF-beta1+EGF-treated cultures. Identification of such cooperative signaling networks and their effect on specific invasion-promoting target genes, such as PAI-1, may lead to the development of pathway-specific therapeutics that affect late-stage events in human tumor progression.
authors.affiliation: Center for Cell Biology and Cancer Research, Albany Medical College, Albany, New York 12208, USA.
authors.forename: Jennifer
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Freytag
authors.forename: Cynthia E
authors.initials: CE
authors.lastname: Wilkins-Port
authors.forename: Craig E
authors.initials: CE
authors.lastname: Higgins
authors.forename: Stephen P
authors.initials: SP
authors.lastname: Higgins
authors.forename: Rohan
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Samarakoon
authors.forename: Paul J
authors.initials: PJ
authors.lastname: Higgins
mesh_terms: D002454:Cell Differentiation / Q000502:physiology; D002461:Cell Line, Transformed; D004847:Epithelial Cells / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism; D066246:ErbB Receptors / Q000378:metabolism*; D048049:Extracellular Signal-Regulated MAP Kinases / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D015603:Keratinocytes / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism*; D048369:MAP Kinase Kinase 1 / Q000378:metabolism; D020935:MAP Kinase Signaling System / Q000502:physiology*; D008648:Mesoderm / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism; D010766:Phosphorylation / Q000502:physiology; D017395:Plasminogen Activator Inhibitor 1 / Q000378:metabolism*; D053773:Transforming Growth Factor beta1 / Q000378:metabolism*; D015854:Up-Regulation / Q000502:physiology; D048051:p38 Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D017395:Plasminogen Activator Inhibitor 1; D053773:Transforming Growth Factor beta1; C512478:EGFR protein, human; D066246:ErbB Receptors; D048049:Extracellular Signal-Regulated MAP Kinases; D048051:p38 Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases; D048369:MAP Kinase Kinase 1