Chemokines and their receptors function in migration and homing of cells to target tissues. Recent evidence suggests that cancer cells use a chemokine receptor axis for metastasis formation at secondary sites. Previously, we showed that binding of the chemokine CXCL12 to its receptor CXCR4 mediated signaling events resulting in matrix metalloproteinase-9 expression in prostate cancer bone metastasis. A variety of methods, including lipid raft isolation, stable overexpression of CXCR4, cellular adhesion, invasion assays, and the severe combined immunodeficient -human bone tumor growth model were used. We found that (a) CXCR4 and HER2 coexist in lipid rafts of prostate cancer cells; (b) the CXCL12/CXCR4 axis results in transactivation of the HER2 receptor in lipid rafts of prostate cancer cells; (c) Src kinase mediates CXCL12/CXCR4 transactivation of HER2 in prostate cancer cells; (d) a pan-HER inhibitor desensitizes CXCR4-induced transactivation and subsequent matrix metalloproteinase-9 secretion and invasion; (e) lipid raft -disrupting agents inhibited raft-associated CXCL12/CXCR4 transactivation of the HER2 and cellular invasion; (f) overexpression of CXCR4 in prostate cancer cells leads to increased HER2 phosphorylation and migratory properties of prostate cancer cells; and (g) CXCR4 overexpression enhances bone tumor growth and osteolysis. These data suggest that lipid rafts on the cell membrane are the key site for CXCL12/CXCR4 -induced HER2 receptor transactivation. This transactivation contributes to enhanced invasive signals and metastatic growth in the bone microenvironment.

Metastasis to the bone is a major clinical complication in patients with prostate cancer (PC). However, therapeutic options for treatment of PC bone metastasis are limited. Gelatinases are members of the matrix metalloproteinase (MMP) family and have been shown to play a key role in PC metastasis. Herein, we investigated the effect of SB-3CT, a covalent mechanism-based MMP inhibitor with high selectivity for gelatinases, in an experimental model of PC bone metastases. Intraperitoneal (i.p.) treatment with SB-3CT (50 mg/kg) inhibited intraosseous growth of human PC3 cells within the marrow of human fetal femur fragments previously implanted in SCID mice, as demonstrated by histomorphometry and Ki-67 immunohistochemistry. The anti-osteolytic effect of SB-3CT was confirmed by radiographic images. Treatment with SB-3CT also reduced intratumoral vascular density and bone degradation in the PC3 bone tumors. A direct inhibition of bone marrow endothelial cell invasion and tubule formation in Matrigel by SB-3CT in vitro was also demonstrated. The use of the highly selective gelatinase inhibitors holds the promise of effective intervention of metastases of PC to the bone. ' 2005 Wiley-Liss, Inc.Key words: matrix metalloproteinases; endothelium; MMP-2; MMP-9; gelatinase inhibitor PC is the second leading cause of cancer death in males in the United States. 1 Bone metastasis represents a major clinical complication of PC and is usually associated with pain, fractures and other life-impairing conditions. 2 In spite of the extent of this complication, the therapeutic options for the treatment of PC bone metastasis are very limited and are mostly palliative in nature. Therefore, new approaches to treat PC bone metastasis are urgently needed.Members of the matrix metalloproteinase (MMP) family of zincdependent endopeptidases, in particular gelatinases A and B, also known as MMP-2 and MMP-9, have been associated with the development of bone metastasis by PC cells. 3-8 Therefore, MMPs constitute an attractive target for intervention in PC bone metastasis. A limited number of preclinical studies reported the ability of synthetic MMP inhibitors to inhibit primary and metastatic PC growth in animal models. 9-11 We previously reported that administration of the broad-spectrum MMP inhibitor batimastat (BB-94) reduced tumor burden and bone degradation by human PC3 cells growing within human bone in severe combined immunodeficiency (SCID) mice. 8 These studies demonstrated the potential benefit of targeting MMP activity in PC bone metastasis. In spite of the success of broad-spectrum MMP inhibitors in preclinical studies, these inhibitors failed to demonstrate therapeutic efficacy in clinical trials in patients with advanced cancer, and also produced undesired side effects. [12][13][14] Lack of selectivity has been considered one of the main reasons for the disappointing performance of broad-spectrum MMP inhibitors in clinical trials. 12,14 Thus, targeting of specific and relevant MMPs in cancer progression remains an important goal.A...

Membrane type 1 matrix metalloproteinase (MT1-MMP) plays an essential role in protease-mediated extracellular matrix (ECM) degradation, but it also functions as a sheddase releasing non-ECM substrates such as receptor activator of NF-κB ligand (RANKL), an osteoclastogenic factor typically confined to the surface of osteoblasts. We previously found high expression of MT1-MMP in skeletal metastasis of prostate cancer patients, in a pattern similar to RANKL expression. We also showed that overexpression of MT1-MMP in prostate cancer cells increases tumor growth and osteolysis in an intratibial mouse model of bone metastasis, and that soluble factor(s) shed by tumor-derived MT1-MMP enhance osteoclast differentiation in a RANKL-dependent manner. Recent evidence indicates that the cognate receptor for RANKL, RANK, is expressed in prostate cancer cells, suggesting the presence of an autocrine pathway. In this study, we show that MT1-MMP-expressing LNCaP prostate cancer cells display enhanced migration. Moreover, conditioned medium from LNCaP cells expressing both RANKL and MT1-MMP stimulates the migration of MT1-MMP-deficient C42b prostate cancer cells. This enhanced chemotaxis can be abrogated by osteoprotegerin (soluble decoy receptor of RANKL), MIK-G2 (a selective inhibitor for MT1-MMP), and PP2 (a Src inhibitor). These findings indicate that tumor-derived MT1-MMP enhances tumor cell migration through initiation of an autocrine loop requiring ectodomain shedding of membrane-bound RANKL in prostate cancer cells, and that Src is a key downstream mediator of RANKL-induced migration of prostate cancer cells. Cancer Res; 70(13); 5558-66. ©2010 AACR.