Secreted protein acidic and rich in cysteine (SPARC) regulates cell-extracellular matrix interactions that influence cell adhesion and migration. We have demonstrated that SPARC is highly expressed in human gliomas, and it promotes brain tumor invasion in vitro and in vivo. To further our understanding regarding SPARC function in glioma migration, we transfected SPARC-green fluorescent protein (GFP) and control GFP vectors into U87MG cells, and assessed the effects of SPARC on cell morphology, migration, and invasion after 24 h. The expression of SPARC was associated with elongated cell morphology, and increased migration and invasion. The effects of SPARC on downstream signaling were assessed from 0 to 6 h and 24 h. SPARC increased the levels of total and phosphorylated HSP27; the latter was preceded by activation of p38 MAPK and inhibited by the p38 MAPK inhibitor SB203580. Augmented expression of SPARC was correlated with increased levels of HSP27 mRNA. In a panel of glioma cell lines, increasing levels of SPARC correlated with increasing total and phosphorylated HSP27. SPARC and HSP27 were colocalized to invading cells in vivo. Inhibition of HSP27 mRNA reversed the SPARC-induced changes in cell morphology, migration, and invasion in vitro. These data indicate that HSP27, a protein that regulates actin polymerization, cell contraction, and migration, is a novel downstream effector of SPARC-regulated cell morphology and migration. As such, it is a potential therapeutic target to inhibit SPARC-induced glioma invasion.

Secreted protein acidic and rich in cysteine (SPARC) is highly expressed in human gliomas and promotes glioma invasion. We have shown by cDNA array analysis that SPARC upregulates membrane type 1-matrix metalloproteinase (MT1-MMP) and matrix metalloproteinase-2 (MMP-2) transcripts. To confirm these findings at the protein level and determine whether SPARC expression correlates with increased MMP activity, we used Western blot to assess the levels of MT1-MMP, and gelatin zymography to assess MMP-2 levels and activity. We also examined the expression, secretion, and cleavage of galectin-3, a target of MT1-MMP and MMP-2. Our data confirm that SPARC upregulates MT1-MMP levels and MMP-2 activity. There was also an increase in secreted galectin-3, as well as an increase in the proteolytically processed form of galectin-3. Previous studies have demonstrated that MT1-MMP, MMP-2 and galectin-3 are increased in gliomas. Our results suggest that their upregulation and activation may be a consequence of increased SPARC expression. These data provide a provisional mechanism whereby SPARC contributes to brain tumor invasion.

Neuroblastoma (NB) is associated with MYCN oncogene amplification occurring in approximately 30% of NBs and is associated with poor prognosis. MYCN is linked to a number of genes including ornithine decarboxylase (ODC), the rate-limiting enzyme in polyamine biosynthesis. ODC expression is elevated in many forms of cancer including NB. Alpha-difluoromethylornithine (DFMO), an ODC inhibitor, is currently being used in a Phase I clinical trial for treatment of NB. However, cancer cells treated with DFMO may overcome their polyamine depletion by the uptake of polyamines from extracellular sources. A novel polyamine transport inhibitor, AMXT-1501, has not yet been tested in NB. We propose that inhibiting ODC with DFMO, coupled with polyamine transport inhibition by AMXT-1501 will result in enhanced NB growth inhibition. Single and combination drug treatments were conducted on three NB cell lines. DFMO IC 50 values ranged from 20.76 to 33.3 mM, and AMXT-1501 IC 50 values ranged from 14.13 to 17.72 mM in NB. The combination treatment resulted in hypophosphorylation of retinoblastoma protein (Rb), suggesting growth inhibition via G 1 cell cycle arrest. Increased expression of cleaved PARP and cleaved caspase 3 in combination-treated cells starting at 48 hr suggested apoptosis. The combination treatment depleted intracellular polyamine pools and decreased intracellular ATP, further verifying growth inhibition. Given the current lack of effective therapies for patients with relapsed/refractory NB and the preclinical effectiveness of DFMO with AMXT-1501, this combination treatment provides promising preclinical results. DFMO and AMXT-1501 may be a potential new therapy for children with NB.Neuroblastoma (NB) is the most common extracranial solid pediatric tumor, accounting 8-10% of all pediatric cancers and for 15% of cancer-related deaths in children. 1 Approximately 650 new cases of NB arise in the United States each year. Of the children diagnosed, roughly 70% have disease that has already metastasized to other parts of the body. Children with high-risk NB have a long-term survival of less than 50%, despite the use of intensive multimodality therapy. 2 Of the children with relapsed or refractory disease, there are no known curative measures and the 5-year survival is less than 10%. Biomarkers are powerful tools for determining diagnosis and prognosis for different cancers, including NB. The oncogenic transcription factor MYCN is amplified in roughly 30% of all NBs and is generally associated with high-risk disease and poor survival. 3,4 As a transcription factor, MYCN induces and represses a large number of genes involved in multiple biological processes including cell growth and differentiation. However, the genes necessary or sufficient to initiate neuroblastoma tumorigenesis downstream of MYCN remain to be established. 5 Ornithine decarboxylase (ODC), the rate-limiting enzyme in polyamine biosynthesis in mammalian cells, is directly activated by c-MYC and MYCN 6-8 and is overexpressed in NB. 9-11 ODC decarboxylates t...

We previously demonstrated that secreted protein acidic and rich in cysteine (SPARC) increases heat shock protein 27 (HSP27) expression and phosphorylation and promotes glioma cell migration through the p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK)/HSP27 signaling pathway. As different regions of the SPARC protein mediate different SPARC functions, elucidating which SPARC domains regulate HSP27 expression, signaling and migration might provide potential therapeutic strategies to target these functions. To investigate the roles of specific domains, we used an SPARCgreen fluorescent protein (GFP) fusion protein and constructs of SPARC-GFP with deletions of either the acidic domain (DAcidic) or the epidermal growth factor (EGF)-like module (DEGF). GFP, SPARC-GFP and the two deletion mutants were expressed in U87MG glioma cells. Characterization of the derived stable clones by confocal imaging and western blotting suggests proper folding, processing and secretion of the deletion constructs. Uptake of the constructs by naive cells suggests enhanced internalization of DAcidic and reduced internalization of DEGF. Wound and transwell migration assays and western blot analysis confirm our previous results and indicate that DAcidic reduces SPARC-induced migration and p38 MAPK/HSP27 signaling and DEGF decreases SPARC-induced migration and dramatically decreases the expression and phosphorylation of HSP27 but is poorly internalized. Loss of the EGF-like module suppresses the enhanced HSP27 protein stability conferred by SPARC. In conclusion, deletions of the acidic domain and EGF-like module have differential effects on cell surface binding and HSP27 protein stability; however, both regions regulate SPARC-induced migration and signaling through HSP27. Our data link the domains of SPARC with different functions and suggest one or both of the constructs as potential therapeutic agents to inhibit SPARC-induced migration.