Targeting BMP-1 Enhances Anti-tumoral Effects of Doxorubicin in Metastatic Mammary Cancer: Common and Distinct Features of TGF-β Inhibition

Overview

Journal Breast Cancer Res Treat

Date 2025 Jan 10

PMID 39792296

Authors

Nuray Erin

Esra Tavsan

Seren Haksever

Azmi Yerlikaya

Chiara Riganti

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

Purpose: Mammary carcinoma is comprised heterogeneous groups of cells with different metastatic potential. 4T1 mammary carcinoma cells metastasized to heart (4THM), liver (4TLM) and brain (4TBM) and demonstrate cancer-stem cell phenotype. Using these cancer cells we found thatTGF-β is the top upstream regulator of metastatic process. In addition, secretion of bone morphogenetic protein 1 (BMP-1), which is crucial for the proteolytic release of TGF-β, was markedly high in metastatic mammary cancer cells compared to non-metastatic cells. Although TGF-β inhibitors are in clinical trials, systemic inhibition of TGF-β may produce heavy side effects. We here hypothesize that inhibition of BMP-1 proteolytic activity inhibits TGF-β activity and induces anti-tumoral effects.

Method And Results: Effects of specific BMP-1 inhibitor on liver and brain metastatic murine mammary cancer cells (4TLM and 4TBM), as well as on human mammary cancer MDA-MB-231 and MCF-7 cells, were examined and compared with the results of TGF-β inhibition. Inhibition of BMP-1 activity markedly suppressed proliferation of cancer cells and enhanced anti-tumoral effects of doxorubicin. Inhibition of BMP-1 activity but not of TGF-β activity decreased colony and spheroid formation. Differential effects of BMP-1 and TGF-β inhibitors on TGF-β secretion was also observed.

Conclusions: These results demonstrated for the first time that the inhibition of BMP-1 activity has therapeutic potential for treatment of metastatic mammary cancer and enhances the anti-tumoral effects of doxorubicin.

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