
Fibroblast Growth Factor receptor (FGFR) activity plays crucial roles in tumor growth and patient survival. However, FGF (Fibroblast Growth Factor) signaling as a target for cancer therapy has been under-investigated compared to other receptor tyrosine kinases. Here, we studied the effect of FGFR signaling inhibition on tumor growth, metastasis and lymphangiogenesis by expressing a dominant negative FGFR (FGFR-2DN) in an orthotopic mouse mammary 66c14 carcinoma model. We show that FGFR-2DN-expressing 66c14 cells proliferate in vitro slower than controls. 66c14 tumor outgrowth and lung metastatic foci are reduced in mice implanted with FGFR-2DN-expressing cells, which also exhibited better overall survival. We found 66c14 cells in the lumen of tumor lymphatic vessels and in lymph nodes. FGFR-2DN-expressing tumors exhibited a decrease in VEGFR-3 (Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor Receptor-3) or podoplanin-positive lymphatic vessels, an increase in isolated intratumoral lymphatic endothelial cells and a reduction in VEGF-C (Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor-C) mRNA expression. FGFs may act in an autocrine manner as the inhibition of FGFR signaling in tumor cells suppresses VEGF-C expression in a COX-2 (cyclooxygenase-2) or HIF1-α (hypoxia-inducible factor-1 α) independent manner. FGFs may also act in a paracrine manner on tumor lymphatics by inducing expression of pro-lymphangiogenic molecules such as VEGFR-3, integrin α9, prox1 and netrin-1. Finally, in vitro lymphangiogenesis is impeded in the presence of FGFR-2DN 66c14 cells. These data confirm that both FGF and VEGF signaling are necessary for the maintenance of vascular morphogenesis and provide evidence that targeting FGFR signaling may be an interesting approach to inhibit tumor lymphangiogenesis and metastatic spread.
Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A, Science, Mammary Neoplasms, Animal, Mice, Cell Line, Tumor, Animals, Nerve Growth Factors, Lymphangiogenesis, Neoplasm Metastasis, Cell Proliferation, Neovascularization, Pathologic, Tumor Suppressor Proteins, Q, R, Netrin-1, Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor Receptor-3, Receptors, Fibroblast Growth Factor, Biomedicine, Cyclooxygenase 2, Lymphatic Metastasis, Medicine, Female, Neoplasm Transplantation, Research Article
Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A, Science, Mammary Neoplasms, Animal, Mice, Cell Line, Tumor, Animals, Nerve Growth Factors, Lymphangiogenesis, Neoplasm Metastasis, Cell Proliferation, Neovascularization, Pathologic, Tumor Suppressor Proteins, Q, R, Netrin-1, Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor Receptor-3, Receptors, Fibroblast Growth Factor, Biomedicine, Cyclooxygenase 2, Lymphatic Metastasis, Medicine, Female, Neoplasm Transplantation, Research Article
| citations This is an alternative to the "Influence" indicator, which also reflects the overall/total impact of an article in the research community at large, based on the underlying citation network (diachronically). | 39 | |
| popularity This indicator reflects the "current" impact/attention (the "hype") of an article in the research community at large, based on the underlying citation network. | Top 10% | |
| influence This indicator reflects the overall/total impact of an article in the research community at large, based on the underlying citation network (diachronically). | Top 10% | |
| impulse This indicator reflects the initial momentum of an article directly after its publication, based on the underlying citation network. | Top 10% |
