Register for Competing autocrine pathways regulate breast cancer cell movement
Breast CancerNovember 10, 2003
2003 NOV 10 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- Competing autocrine pathways regulate breast cancer cell movement.
According to published research from the United States, "neuropilin-1 (NP1), in conjunction with plexins, promotes axon repulsion by binding to semaphorin 3A (SEMA3A). Although NP1 is expressed in carcinoma cells, its functions have remained elusive, and neither SEMA3A nor plexin expression has been explored in cancer. Here we provide evidence that breast carcinoma cells support an autocrine pathway involving SEMA3A, plexin-A1, and NP1 that impedes their ability to chemotax."
"Reducing SEMA3A or NP1 expression by RNA interference or inhibiting plexin-A1 signaling enhanced migration. Conversely, expression of constitutively active plexin-A1 impaired chemotaxis," explained R.E. Bachelder and colleagues, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Department of Pathology.
"The paradox of how breast carcinoma cells expressing these endogenous chemotaxis inhibitors are able to migrate is explained by their expression of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), a NP1 ligand that competes with SEMA3A for receptor binding."
"Finally, we establish that the ratio of endogenous VEGF and SEMA3A concentrations in carcinoma cells determines their chemotactic rate. Our findings lead to the surprising conclusion that opposing autocrine loops involving NP1 regulate the chemotaxis of breast carcinoma cells. Moreover, our data indicate a novel autocrine function for VEGF in chemotaxis," investigators said.
Bachelder and colleagues published their findings in Cancer Research (Competing autocrine pathways involving alternative neuropilin-1 Lligands regulate chemotaxis of carcinoma cells. Cancer Res, 2003;63(17):5230-5233).
Additional information can be obtained by contacting R.E. Bachelder, Beth Israel Deaconess Med Center, Department Pathology, Division Cancer Biology & Anagiogenet, Boston, MA 02215 USA.
The publisher of the journal Cancer Research can be contacted at: American Association Cancer Research, PO Box 11806, Birmingham, AL 35202 USA.
The information in this article comes under the major subject areas of Neuroscience, Oncology, Breast Cancer, and Women's Health. This article was prepared by Health & Medicine Week editors from staff and other reports.
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