Antiangiogenic antitumor activities of IGFBP-3 are mediated by IGF-independent suppression of Erk1/2 activation and Egr-1-mediated transcriptional events

Blood. 2011 Sep 1;118(9):2622-31. doi: 10.1182/blood-2010-08-299784. Epub 2011 May 6.

Abstract

Most antiangiogenic therapies currently being evaluated in clinical trials target the vascular endothelial growth factor pathway; however, the tumor vasculature can acquire resistance to vascular endothelial growth factor-targeted therapy by shifting to other angiogenesis mechanisms. Insulin-like growth factor binding protein-3 (IGFBP-3) has been reported to suppress tumor growth and angiogenesis by both IGF-dependent and IGF-independent mechanisms; however, understanding of its IGF-independent mechanisms is limited. We observed that IGFBP-3 blocked tumor angiogenesis and growth in non-small cell lung cancer and head and neck squamous cell carcinoma. Conditioned media from an IGFBP-3-treated non-small cell lung cancer cell line displayed a significantly decreased capacity to induce HUVEC proliferation and aortic sprouting. In cancer cells, IGFBP-3 directly interacted with Erk1/2, leading to inactivation of Erk1/2 and Elk-1, and suppressed transcription of early growth response protein 1 and its target genes, basic fibroblast growth factor and platelet-derived growth factor. These data suggest that IGF-independent Erk1/2 inactivation and decreased IGFBP-3-induced Egr-1 expression block the autocrine and paracrine loops of angiogenic factors in vascular endothelial and cancer cells. Together, these findings provide a molecular framework of IGFBP-3's IGF-independent antiangiogenic antitumor activities. Future studies are needed for development of IGFBP-3 as a new line of antiangiogengic cancer drug.

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural

MeSH terms

  • Angiogenesis Inhibitors / metabolism
  • Angiogenesis Inhibitors / pharmacology*
  • Angiogenesis Inhibitors / therapeutic use
  • Animals
  • Carcinoma / blood supply
  • Carcinoma / drug therapy*
  • Carcinoma / pathology
  • Carcinoma, Non-Small-Cell Lung / blood supply
  • Carcinoma, Non-Small-Cell Lung / drug therapy*
  • Carcinoma, Non-Small-Cell Lung / pathology
  • Cell Line, Tumor
  • Cells, Cultured / cytology
  • Cells, Cultured / drug effects
  • Chick Embryo
  • Early Growth Response Protein 1 / genetics*
  • Early Growth Response Protein 1 / metabolism
  • Endothelial Cells / cytology
  • Endothelial Cells / drug effects
  • Enzyme Activation / drug effects
  • Female
  • Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic / drug effects*
  • Head and Neck Neoplasms / blood supply
  • Head and Neck Neoplasms / drug therapy*
  • Head and Neck Neoplasms / pathology
  • Humans
  • Insulin-Like Growth Factor Binding Protein 3 / metabolism
  • Insulin-Like Growth Factor Binding Protein 3 / pharmacology*
  • Insulin-Like Growth Factor Binding Protein 3 / therapeutic use
  • Lung Neoplasms / blood supply
  • Lung Neoplasms / drug therapy*
  • Lung Neoplasms / pathology
  • Mice
  • Mice, Nude
  • Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase 1 / antagonists & inhibitors*
  • Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase 1 / metabolism
  • Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase 3 / antagonists & inhibitors*
  • Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase 3 / metabolism
  • Neoplasm Proteins / antagonists & inhibitors
  • Neoplasm Proteins / biosynthesis
  • Neoplasm Proteins / genetics
  • Neoplasm Proteins / metabolism
  • Neovascularization, Pathologic / drug therapy*
  • Promoter Regions, Genetic / drug effects*
  • Recombinant Fusion Proteins / pharmacology
  • Recombinant Fusion Proteins / therapeutic use
  • Specific Pathogen-Free Organisms
  • Transcription, Genetic / drug effects*
  • Xenograft Model Antitumor Assays
  • ets-Domain Protein Elk-1 / metabolism*

Substances

  • Angiogenesis Inhibitors
  • EGR1 protein, human
  • ELK1 protein, human
  • Early Growth Response Protein 1
  • IGFBP3 protein, human
  • Insulin-Like Growth Factor Binding Protein 3
  • Neoplasm Proteins
  • Recombinant Fusion Proteins
  • ets-Domain Protein Elk-1
  • MAPK1 protein, human
  • Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase 1
  • Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase 3