Abstract 3175: Importance of CXCL12, CXCR4 and CXC7 in breast cancer cells

The purpose of this study is to understand the relative importance of the two chemokine receptors CXCR4 and CXCR7 in the response of estrogen-responsive and estrogen-nonresponsive breast cancer cells to the chemokine CXCL12. CXCR4 has long been accepted, whereas CXCR7 was identified more recently as a CXCL12 receptor. CXCL12 is expressed by stromal and epithelial cells in breast tumors and has been shown to be regulated by estrogen in estrogen-responsive breast cancer epithelial cells. CXCL12 activates the two seven transmembrane G protein-coupled receptors, CXCR4 and CXCR7, that transduce signals via heterotrimeric G-proteins. Methods The expression of CXCL12, CXCR4 and CXCR7 was measured in five estrogen-responsive and five estrogen-nonresponsive breast cancer cell lines by qRT-PCR and western transfer analysis. The ability of CXCL12 to activate the CXCR4 receptors was measured by western transfer analysis with a phospho-specific antibody. The motogenic responses of different breast cancer cell lines to CXCL12 were measured in modified Boyden chamber and in vitro wounding assays. The relative importance of CXCR4 in the CXCL12 response was probed with a specific inhibitor of CXCR4 receptor. Results The expression of CXCL12, CXCR4 and CXCR7 varied greatly between the ten breast cancer cell lines analyzed. CXCL12 expression was highest in estrogen-responsive T-47D cells whereas CXCR4 and CXCR7 expression was highest in estrogen-nonresponsive MDA-MB-231 cells. CXCL12 protein expression was not detected in protein extracts from breast cancer cells. CXCL12 was detected however after secretion into medium conditioned by T-47D and MCF-7 breast cancer cells. Chemotaxis assays showed that CXCL12 stimulated breast cancer cell migration in a concentration-dependent manner and cells that expressed higher concentrations of the receptors were more responsive to CXCL12. CXCR4 phosphorylation was stimulated by CXCL12 in some but not all breast cancer cells. AMD3100, a competitive inhibitor of CXCL12 binding to CXCR4, inhibited CXCL12-induced migration. Maximum inhibition of migration stimulated by 12.5 nM CXCL12 was achieved with 5 µM AMD3100. Conclusion This study shows that CXCL12 is an autocrine motogen in estrogen-responsive breast cancer cells. CXCL12 stimulates migration of both estrogen-responsive and estrogen-nonresponsive breast cancer cells. The sensitivity of the migratory response of breast cancer cells to CXCL12 depends on the relative concentrations of CXCR