Activating peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma mutant promotes tumor growth in vivo by enhancing angiogenesis

Cancer Res. 2009 Dec 15;69(24):9236-44. doi: 10.1158/0008-5472.CAN-09-2067.

Abstract

Peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma (PPARgamma) is expressed in a variety of cancer cells. The addition of ligand activates the receptor by inducing a conformational change in the receptor, which can be recapitulated by mutation. To investigate the role of activated PPARgamma signaling in breast cancer, we compared the function of a constitutively active PPARgamma (PgammaCA) mutant with the wild-type PPARgamma in ErbB2-induced mammary tumorigenesis in vivo. Tumor cells transduced with either PPARgamma or PgammaCA were implanted into immunocompetent FVB mice. Enhanced tumor growth was observed in PgammaCA-transduced cells, which was associated with increased angiogenesis and endothelial stem cells as evidenced by increased number of cells stained with von Willebrand factor, c-Kit, CD133, and CD31. Genome-wide expression profiling identified a group of genes within the angiogenesis pathway, including Angptl4, as targets of activated PPARgamma; PgammaCA also induced Angptl4 protein secretion in ErbB2-transformed mammary epithelial cells. Angptl4 promoted vascular endothelial cell migration; conversely, immunodepletion of Angptl4 reduced PgammaCA-mediated cellular migration. Collectively, these studies suggest that activated PPARgamma induces Angptl4 to promote tumor growth through enhanced angiogenesis in vivo.

Publication types

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

MeSH terms

  • Angiopoietin-Like Protein 4
  • Angiopoietins / metabolism
  • Animals
  • Breast Neoplasms / blood supply*
  • Breast Neoplasms / metabolism
  • Breast Neoplasms / pathology
  • Cell Growth Processes / physiology
  • Cell Line, Tumor
  • Cell Movement / physiology
  • Cell Transformation, Viral / genetics
  • Endothelial Cells / pathology
  • Endothelial Cells / physiology
  • Female
  • Gene Expression Profiling
  • Humans
  • Lipids / biosynthesis
  • Mice
  • Mice, Transgenic
  • Neovascularization, Pathologic / genetics
  • Neovascularization, Pathologic / metabolism
  • Neovascularization, Pathologic / pathology
  • PPAR gamma / genetics
  • PPAR gamma / metabolism*

Substances

  • ANGPTL4 protein, human
  • Angiopoietin-Like Protein 4
  • Angiopoietins
  • Lipids
  • PPAR gamma