EphB2 activity plays a pivotal role in pediatric medulloblastoma cell adhesion and invasion

Neuro Oncol. 2012 Sep;14(9):1125-35. doi: 10.1093/neuonc/nos130. Epub 2012 Jun 21.

Abstract

Eph/ephrin signaling has been implicated in various types of key cancer-enhancing processes, like migration, proliferation, and angiogenesis. In medulloblastoma, invading tumor cells characteristically lead to early recurrence and a decreased prognosis. Based on kinase-activity profiling data published recently, we hypothesized a key role for the Eph/ephrin signaling system in medulloblastoma invasion. In primary medulloblastoma samples, a significantly higher expression of EphB2 and the ligand ephrin-B1 was observed compared with normal cerebellum. Furthermore, medulloblastoma cell lines showed high expression of EphA2, EphB2, and EphB4. Stimulation of medulloblastoma cells with ephrin-B1 resulted in a marked decrease in in vitro cell adhesion and an increase in the invasion capacity of cells expressing high levels of EphB2. The cell lines that showed an ephrin-B1-induced phenotype possessed increased levels of phosphorylated EphB2 and, to a lesser extent, EphB4 after stimulation. Knockdown of EphB2 expression by short hairpin RNA completely abolished ephrin ligand-induced effects on adhesion and migration. Analysis of signal transduction identified p38, Erk, and mTOR as downstream signaling mediators potentially inducing the ephrin-B1 phenotype. In conclusion, the observed deregulation of Eph/ephrin expression in medulloblastoma enhances the invasive phenotype, suggesting a potential role in local tumor cell invasion and the formation of metastases.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Apoptosis
  • Blotting, Western
  • Cell Adhesion / physiology*
  • Cell Movement / physiology*
  • Cell Proliferation
  • Cerebellar Neoplasms / genetics
  • Cerebellar Neoplasms / metabolism
  • Cerebellar Neoplasms / pathology*
  • Child
  • DNA Methylation
  • Ephrin-B1 / genetics
  • Ephrin-B1 / metabolism
  • Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic
  • Humans
  • Medulloblastoma / genetics
  • Medulloblastoma / metabolism
  • Medulloblastoma / pathology*
  • Phosphorylation
  • Promoter Regions, Genetic
  • RNA, Messenger / genetics
  • RNA, Small Interfering / genetics
  • Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction
  • Receptor, EphB2 / antagonists & inhibitors
  • Receptor, EphB2 / genetics*
  • Receptor, EphB2 / metabolism*
  • Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction
  • Signal Transduction
  • Tumor Cells, Cultured

Substances

  • Ephrin-B1
  • RNA, Messenger
  • RNA, Small Interfering
  • Receptor, EphB2