Members of the fibroblast growth factor receptor (FGFR) family have essential roles in normal physiology and in cancer where they control diverse processes. FGFRs have been associated with breast cancer development. Thus, models to study the role of FGFR in breast cancer and their targeting potential are important. We present an in vitro and in vivo analysis of FGFRs in the breast cancer model cell lines 67NR and 4T1. We show that both tumor cell lines coexpress FGFRs and ligands and display autocrine FGFR signaling activity. Fibroblast growth factor receptor substrate 2 (FRS2), a downstream mediator of FGFR, is constitutively tyrosine phosphorylated and multiple signaling pathways are active. Treatment of 67NR and 4T1 cultures with TKI258, an FGFR tyrosine kinase inhibitor (TKI), caused a rapid decrease in FRS2 phosphorylation; decreased the activity of extracellular signal-regulated kinase 1/2 (ERK1/2), AKT, and phospholipase Cγ; and blocked proliferation of both tumor lines. Furthermore, TKI258 induced 4T1 apoptotic cell death via blockade of the phosphoinositide 3-kinase/AKT pathway. In vivo, one dose of TKI258 rapidly lowered FRS2 phosphorylation and ERK1/2 and AKT activity in mammary tumors. Long-term TKI258 treatment of 4T1 tumor-and 67NR tumor-bearing mice had a significant effect on primary tumor outgrowth and 4T1 tumor-induced lung metastases. A microarray analysis was carried out to identify targets with roles in TKI258 antitumor activity and potential prognostic markers in human breast tumors. Of interest are the downregulated matrix metalloproteases (MMP), in particular MMP9, which is essential for metastatic spread of 4T1 tumors.

Through their ability to degrade the extracellular matrix, proteases mediate cancer cell invasion and metastasis. Paradoxically, some serine protease inhibitors (serpins) are often overexpressed in human tumors. Using computational analysis, we found that the RNA level of protease nexin-1 (PN-1), a serpin that blocks numerous proteases activity, is significantly elevated in estrogen receptor-A-negative and in high-grade breast cancer. The in silico approach was complemented by mechanistic studies on two mammary cancer cell lines, the PN-1-negative 168FARN cells and the PN-1-positive 4T1 cells, both of which form primary mammary tumors, but only 4T1 tumors are able to metastasize to the lungs. We show that treatment of 168FARN cells with PN-1 stimulates extracellular signal-regulated kinase activation via low-density lipoprotein receptor-related protein-1 (LRP-1) binding, resulting in increased matrix metalloproteinase (MMP)-9 RNA, protein, and secreted activity. PN-1-silenced 4T1 cells express low MMP-9 levels. Moreover, injection of PN-1-silenced cells into mice did not affect 4T1 primary mammary tumor outgrowth; however, the tumors had impaired metastatic potential, which could be restored by reexpressing soluble MMP-9 in the PN-1-silenced 4T1 cells. Thus, using mammary tumor models, we describe a novel pathway whereby the serpin PN-1 by binding LRP-1 stimulates extracellular signal-regulated kinase signaling, MMP-9 expression, and metastatic spread of mammary tumors. Importantly, an analysis of 126 breast cancer patients revealed that those whose breast tumors had elevated PN-1 levels had a significantly higher probability to develop lung metastasis, but not metastasis to other sites, on relapse. These results suggest that PN-1 might become a prognostic marker in breast cancer.

Memo is a widely expressed 33-kDa protein required for heregulin (HRG)-, epidermal growth factor (EGF)-, and fibroblast growth factor (FGF)-induced cell motility. Studies in mouse embryonic fibroblasts, wild-type or knockout for Memo, were performed to further investigate the role of Memo downstream of FGFR. We demonstrated that Memo associates with the FGFR signalosome and is necessary for optimal activation of signaling. To uncover Memo's physiological role, Memo conditional-knockout mice were generated. These animals showed a reduced life span, increased insulin sensitivity, small stature, graying hair, alopecia, kyphosis, loss of subcutaneous fat, and loss of spermatozoa in the epididymis. Memo-knockout mice also have elevated serum levels of active vitamin D, 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D3 (1,25(OH)2D), and calcium compared to control littermates expressing Memo. In summary, the results from in vivo and in vitro models support the hypothesis that Memo is a novel regulator of FGFR signaling with a role in controlling 1,25(OH)2D production and normal calcium homeostasis.