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Autocrine pro-legumain promotes breast cancer metastasis via binding to integrin αvβ3

Oncogene volume 41, pages 4091–4103 (2022)Cite this article

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Abstract

Tumor metastasis is the leading cause of cancer-associated mortality. Unfortunately, the underlying mechanism of metastasis is poorly understood. Expression of legumain (LGMN), an endo-lysosomal cysteine protease, positively correlates with breast cancer metastatic progression and poor prognosis. Here, we report that LGMN is secreted in the zymogen form by motile breast cancer cells. Through binding to cell surface integrin αvβ3 via an RGD motif, the autocrine pro-LGMN activates FAK-Src-RhoA signaling in cancer cells and promotes cancer cell migration and invasion independent of LGMN protease activity. Either silencing LGMN expression or mutationally abolishing pro-LGMN‒αvβ3 interaction significantly inhibits cancer cell migration and invasion in vitro and breast cancer metastasis in vivo. Finally, we developed a monoclonal antibody against LGMN RGD motif, which blocks pro-LGMN‒αvβ3 binding, and effectively suppresses cancer cell migration and invasion in vitro and breast cancer metastasis in vivo. Thus, disruption of pro-LGMN‒integrin αvβ3 interaction may be a potentially promising strategy for treating breast cancer metastasis.

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Fig. 1: Upregulated LGMN expression is correlated with breast cancer metastasis-free progression.
Fig. 2: LGMN knockdown impairs breast cancer cell migration and invasion.
Fig. 3: RGD motif in LGMN mediates its binding to β3 integrin independent of the catalytic activity.
Fig. 4: LGMN promotes cancer cell migration and invasion dependent on the binding to integrin.
Fig. 5: LGMN-integrin binding activates FAK-Src-RhoA pathway.
Fig. 6: LGMN promotes breast cancer bone metastasis in vivo.
Fig. 7: LGMN blocking antibody C10 effectively suppresses breast cancer metastasis.

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Data availability

Previously published breast cancer microarray data (GSE65194, GSE45255 and GSE22219) were downloaded from Gene Expression Omnibus. All information and data are available upon request.

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Acknowledgements

This work was supported by grants from National Key Research and Development Program of China (2020YFA0509102 to J.F.C., 2020YFA0803203 to G.X.G.), National Natural Science Foundation of China (31970702 to C.D.L., 32030024, 31830112, 31525016 to J.F.C., 32070789 to G.X.G.). Program of Shanghai Academic Research Leader (19XD1404200), National Ten Thousand Talents Program. The authors gratefully acknowledge the support of SA-SIBS scholarship program.

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  1. These authors contributed equally: Cui Liu, JunLei Wang.

Authors and Affiliations

  1. State Key Laboratory of Cell Biology, Shanghai Institute of Biochemistry and Cell Biology, Center for Excellence in Molecular Cell Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, 200031, China

    Cui Liu, JunLei Wang, YaJuan Zheng, Yue Zhu, ZhaoYuan Liu, YaoYing Wan, YaTing Wen, ChunYe Liu, MengYa Yuan, Yi Arial Zeng, GaoXiang Ge & JianFeng Chen

  2. Key Laboratory of Systems Health Science of Zhejiang Province, School of Life Science, Hangzhou Institute for Advanced Study, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Hangzhou, 310024, China

    ZhengHang Zhou, Yi Arial Zeng, GaoXiang Ge & JianFeng Chen

  3. Key Laboratory of Spine and Spinal Cord Injury Repair and Regeneration of Ministry of Education, Orthopaedic Department of Tongji Hospital, School of Life Sciences and Technology, Tongji University, Shanghai, 200092, China

    ChangDong Lin

  4. Department of Orthopedics, Suzhou Ninth People’s Hospital, Soochow University, Suzhou, 215000, China

    ZhanJun Yan

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Contributions

JFC, GXG, and ZJY conceptualized the project and designed the experiments. CL and JLW performed most of the experiments and data analysis. YZ performed bioinformatic analysis. ZHZ performed protein purification. YAZ, CYL, YJZ, ZYL, CDL, and YTW assisted in animal experiments. YYW and MYY assisted in scFV screening. The manuscript was drafted by CL and edited by GXG and JFC.

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Correspondence to ZhanJun Yan, GaoXiang Ge or JianFeng Chen.

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Liu, C., Wang, J., Zheng, Y. et al. Autocrine pro-legumain promotes breast cancer metastasis via binding to integrin αvβ3. Oncogene 41, 4091–4103 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41388-022-02409-4

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