c-Jun induces mammary epithelial cellular invasion and breast cancer stem cell expansion

J Biol Chem. 2010 Mar 12;285(11):8218-26. doi: 10.1074/jbc.M110.100792. Epub 2010 Jan 6.

Abstract

The molecular mechanisms governing breast tumor cellular self-renewal contribute to breast cancer progression and therapeutic resistance. The ErbB2 oncogene is overexpressed in approximately 30% of human breast cancers. c-Jun, the first cellular proto-oncogene, is overexpressed in human breast cancer. However, the role of endogenous c-Jun in mammary tumor progression is unknown. Herein, transgenic mice expressing the mammary gland-targeted ErbB2 oncogene were crossed with c-jun(f/f) transgenic mice to determine the role of endogenous c-Jun in mammary tumor invasion and stem cell function. The excision of c-jun by Cre recombinase reduced cellular migration, invasion, and mammosphere formation of ErbB2-induced mammary tumors. Proteomic analysis identified a subset of secreted proteins (stem cell factor (SCF) and CCL5) induced by ErbB2 expression that were dependent upon endogenous c-Jun expression. SCF and CCL5 were identified as transcriptionally induced by c-Jun. CCL5 rescued the c-Jun-deficient breast tumor cellular invasion phenotype. SCF rescued the c-Jun-deficient mammosphere production. Endogenous c-Jun thus contributes to ErbB2-induced mammary tumor cell invasion and self-renewal.

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Breast Neoplasms / genetics
  • Breast Neoplasms / pathology*
  • Breast Neoplasms / physiopathology*
  • Cell Division / physiology
  • Cell Line, Tumor
  • Cell Movement / physiology
  • Chemokine CCL5 / metabolism
  • Epithelial Cells / pathology
  • Epithelial Cells / physiology
  • Female
  • Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic*
  • Humans
  • Mice
  • Mice, Transgenic
  • Neoplasm Invasiveness / pathology
  • Neoplasm Invasiveness / physiopathology
  • Phenotype
  • Proto-Oncogene Mas
  • Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-jun / genetics*
  • Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-jun / metabolism*
  • Receptor, ErbB-2 / genetics
  • Receptor, ErbB-2 / metabolism
  • Stem Cell Factor / metabolism

Substances

  • CCL5 protein, human
  • Chemokine CCL5
  • MAS1 protein, human
  • Proto-Oncogene Mas
  • Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-jun
  • Stem Cell Factor
  • ERBB2 protein, human
  • Receptor, ErbB-2