Integrin β4 signaling promotes mammary tumor cell adhesion to brain microvascular endothelium by inducing ErbB2-mediated secretion of VEGF Journal Article


Authors: Fan, J.; Cai, B.; Zeng, M.; Hao, Y.; Giancotti, F. G.; Fu, B. M.
Article Title: Integrin β4 signaling promotes mammary tumor cell adhesion to brain microvascular endothelium by inducing ErbB2-mediated secretion of VEGF
Abstract: Prior studies have indicated that the β4 integrin promotes mammary tumor invasion and metastasis by combining with ErbB2 and amplifying its signaling capacity. However, the effector pathways and cellular functions by which the β4 integrin exerts these effects are incompletely understood. To examine if β4 signaling plays a role during mammary tumor cell adhesion to microvascular endothelium, we have examined ErbB2-transformed mammary tumor cells expressing either a wild-type (WT) or a signaling-defective form of β4 (1355T). We report that WT cells adhere to brain microvascular endothelium in vitro to a significantly larger extent as compared to 1355T cells. Interestingly, integrin β4 signaling does not exert a direct effect on adhesion to the endothelium or the underlying basement membrane. Rather, it enhances ErbB2-dependent expression of VEGF by tumor cells. VEGF in turn disrupts the tight and adherens junctions of endothelial monolayers, enabling the exposure of underlying basement membrane and increasing the adhesion of tumor cells to the intercellular junctions of endothelium. Inhibition of ErbB2 on tumor cells or the VEGFR-2 on endothelial cells suppresses mammary tumor cell adhesion to microvascular endothelium. Our results indicate that β4 signaling regulates VEGF expression by the mammary tumor cells thereby enhancing their adhesion to microvascular endothelium. © 2011 Biomedical Engineering Society.
Keywords: signaling; endothelial cells; tumors; cell adhesion; intercellular junctions; erbb2; blood vessels; adhesion; endothelial permeability; monolayers; ve-cadherin; zo-1; laminin-5; endothelial vegf receptor; intercellular junction; buildings
Journal Title: Annals of Biomedical Engineering
Volume: 39
Issue: 8
ISSN: 0090-6964
Publisher: Springer  
Date Published: 2011-08-01
Start Page: 2223
End Page: 2241
Language: English
DOI: 10.1007/s10439-011-0321-6
PROVIDER: scopus
PUBMED: 21556948
PMCID: PMC4406420
DOI/URL:
Notes: --- - "Export Date: 3 October 2011" - "CODEN: ABMEC" - "Source: Scopus"
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  1. Yanyan Hao
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