Resumen:
Cancer related deaths are primarily due to tumor metastasis. To facilitate their dissemination to distant sites, cancer cells develop invadopodia, actin-rich protrusions capable of degrading the surrounding extracellular matrix (ECM). We aimed to determine whether ß3 integrin participates in invadopodia formed by lung carcinoma cells, based on our previous findings of specific TGF-ß induction of ß3 integrin dependent metastasis in animal models of lung carcinoma. In this study, we demonstrate that lung carcinoma cells form invadopodia in response to TGF-ß exposure. Invadopodia formation and degradation activity is dependent on ß3 integrin expression since ß3 integrin deficient cells are not able to degrade gelatin-coated surfaces. Even more, transient over-expression of SRC did not restore invadopodia formation in ß3 integrin deficient cells. Finally, we observed that blockade of PLC-dependent signaling leads to more intense labeling for ß3 integrin in invadopodia. Our results suggest that ß3 integrin function, and location, in lung cancer cells are essential for invadopodia formation, and this integrin regulates the activation of different signal pathways necessary for the invasive structure. ß3 integrin has been associated with poor prognosis and increased metastasis in several carcinoma types, including lung cancer. Our findings provide new evidence to support the use of targeted therapies against this integrin to combat the onset of metastases.
