Impairment of the Gn α11-controlled expression of claudin-1 and MMP-9 and collective migration of human breast cancer MCF-7 cells by DHEAS

Publication date: Available online 21 April 2018 Source:The Journal of Steroid Biochemistry and Molecular Biology Author(s): Neha Upmanyu, Ahmed Bulldan, Dimitrios Papadopoulos, Raimund Dietze, Viveka Nand Malviya, Georgios Scheiner-Bobis Although dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate (DHEAS) constitutes the most abundant steroid in humans, in-depth investigations of its effects are rather scarce. We address here DHEAS effects on the estrogen receptor-positive metastatic human breast cancer cell line MCF-7. We focus on DHEAS-mediated signaling that might influence expression of claudin-1 and matrix metalloproteinase-9 (MMP-9), both known to be critical factors for migration and invasiveness of various cancers, including breast cancer cells. Physiological concentrations of DHEAS trigger persistent phosphorylation of Erk1/2 in MCF-7 cells. Exposure of these cells for 24 h to 1 µM DHEAS also leads to a significant reduction of claudin-1 expression that cannot be prevented by high concentrations of the steroid sulfatase inhibitor STX64, indicating that desulfation and further conversion of DHEAS to some other steroid hormone is not required for this action. In addition, exposure of MCF-7 cells to the same concentration of DHEAS completely abolishes MMP-9 expression and considerably impairs cell migratory behavior. Abrogation of Gnα11 expression by siRNA prevents the stimulatory effect of DHEAS on Erk1/2 phosphorylation, consistent with a G-protein-coupled receptor being in...
Source: The Journal of Steroid Biochemistry and Molecular Biology - Category: Biochemistry Source Type: research