Fasudil suppresses fibrosarcoma growth by stimulating secretion of the chemokine CXCL14/BRAK

J Pharmacol Sci. 2012;120(3):241-9. doi: 10.1254/jphs.12177fp. Epub 2012 Oct 26.

Abstract

We previously reported that chemokine CXCL14/BRAK (BRAK) has antitumor activity in several carcinoma cells indicating that BRAK secretion suppresses carcinoma cells. Ras-homologous small GTPase (RhoA) and Rho-associated coiled-coil-containing protein kinase (ROCK) are important regulators of secretory processes, and activation of the RhoA/ROCK signaling pathway stimulates tumor invasion and metastasis. We investigated the effects of fasudil, a specific ROCK inhibitor, on BRAK secretion and tumor progression in mesenchymal fibrosarcoma cells (MC57). We demonstrated the antitumor activity of secreted BRAK using MC57 transplantation of BRAK in overexpressed transgenic mice. Further, to eliminate the influence of change in the mRNA expression of endogenous BRAK, we produced stable MC57 cell lines expressing BRAK (MC57-BRAK) or mock vector (MC57-MOCK). Fasudil significantly increased BRAK secretion by MC57-BRAK cells in a dose-dependent manner. To determine the effect of fasudil on tumor growth, MC57-BRAK and MC57-MOCK cells were transplanted into wild-type mice. Fasudil treatment suppressed tumor growth only in mice that had received MC57-BRAK cell transplants. These results indicate that fasudil inhibits fibrosarcoma growth by stimulating BRAK secretion and suggests that fasudil therapy might have clinical efficacy.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • 1-(5-Isoquinolinesulfonyl)-2-Methylpiperazine / analogs & derivatives*
  • 1-(5-Isoquinolinesulfonyl)-2-Methylpiperazine / pharmacology
  • 1-(5-Isoquinolinesulfonyl)-2-Methylpiperazine / therapeutic use
  • Animals
  • Antineoplastic Agents / pharmacology
  • Antineoplastic Agents / therapeutic use*
  • Cell Line, Tumor
  • Cell Proliferation / drug effects
  • Chemokines, CXC / genetics
  • Chemokines, CXC / metabolism*
  • Fibrosarcoma / drug therapy*
  • Fibrosarcoma / metabolism
  • Fibrosarcoma / pathology
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Mice
  • Mice, Inbred C57BL
  • Mice, Transgenic
  • Neoplasm Proteins / antagonists & inhibitors
  • Neoplasm Proteins / genetics
  • Neoplasm Proteins / metabolism*
  • Neoplasm Transplantation
  • Protein Kinase Inhibitors / pharmacology
  • Protein Kinase Inhibitors / therapeutic use*
  • Recombinant Proteins / metabolism
  • Signal Transduction / drug effects
  • Tumor Burden / drug effects
  • Up-Regulation / drug effects
  • rho-Associated Kinases / antagonists & inhibitors*
  • rhoA GTP-Binding Protein / metabolism

Substances

  • Antineoplastic Agents
  • CXCL14 protein, human
  • CXCL14 protein, mouse
  • Chemokines, CXC
  • Neoplasm Proteins
  • Protein Kinase Inhibitors
  • Recombinant Proteins
  • 1-(5-Isoquinolinesulfonyl)-2-Methylpiperazine
  • rho-Associated Kinases
  • rhoA GTP-Binding Protein
  • fasudil