Induction of MET Receptor Tyrosine Kinase Down-regulation through Antibody-mediated Receptor Clustering

Sci Rep. 2019 Feb 13;9(1):1988. doi: 10.1038/s41598-018-36963-3.

Abstract

The proto-oncoprotein MET is a receptor tyrosine kinase that plays a key role in cancer cell growth and invasion. We have used fluorescence-tagged antibodies to activate MET in live serum-starved glioblastoma cells and monitor the fate of antibody-bound MET receptor in single cell-based assays. We found that the antibodies induced rapid and transient formation of highly polarized MET clusters on the plasma membrane and promoted the activation of MET, resembling the initial effects of binding to its ligand, HGF. However, the antibody-induced clustering and activation of MET led to the rapid removal of the receptor from cell surface and altered its intracellular processing, resulted in rapid degradation of the receptor. Consequently, while cells pre-treated with HGF remain competent to respond to further HGF stimulation, cells pre-treated with antibodies are refractory to further HGF stimulation due to antibody-mediated MET depletion. Removal of MET by sustained treatment of antibodies blocked cancer cell migration and invasion. Our studies reveal a novel mechanism to alter the recycling process of MET in glioblastoma cancer cells by promoting the receptor degradation through a proteasome-sensitive and lysosome-dependent pathway through the ligand-independent activation of MET using anti-MET antibodies.

Publication types

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

MeSH terms

  • Antibodies / immunology*
  • Axl Receptor Tyrosine Kinase
  • Cell Line, Tumor
  • Cell Membrane / metabolism*
  • Cell Movement / immunology
  • Down-Regulation
  • Glioblastoma / pathology
  • Hepatocyte Growth Factor / metabolism*
  • Humans
  • Neoplasm Invasiveness / immunology
  • Neoplasm Invasiveness / pathology
  • Protein Binding
  • Proto-Oncogene Proteins / metabolism
  • Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-met / metabolism*
  • Receptor Protein-Tyrosine Kinases / metabolism
  • Signal Transduction

Substances

  • Antibodies
  • Proto-Oncogene Proteins
  • Hepatocyte Growth Factor
  • Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-met
  • Receptor Protein-Tyrosine Kinases
  • Axl Receptor Tyrosine Kinase
  • AXL protein, human