Prostate cancer-associated membrane type 1-matrix metalloproteinase: a pivotal role in bone response and intraosseous tumor growth.

Membrane type 1-matrix metalloproteinase (MT1-MMP) is a major mediator of collagen I degradation. In human samples, we show that prostate cancer cells in skeletal metastases consistently express abundant MT1-MMP protein. Because prostate cancer bone metastasis requires remodeling of the collagen-rich bone matrix, we investigated the role of cancer cell-derived MT1-MMP in an experimental model of tumor-bone interaction. MT1-MMP-deficient LNCaP human prostate cancer cells were stably transfected with human wild-type MT1-MMP (MT1wt). Furthermore, endogenous MT1-MMP was down-regulated by small interfering RNA in DU145 human prostate cancer cells. Intratibial tumor injection in severe combined immunodeficient mice was used to simulate intraosseous growth of metastatic tumors. LNCaP-MT1wt cells produced larger osseous tumors than Neo control cells and induced osteolysis, whereas DU145 MT1-MMP-silenced transfectants induced osteogenic changes. In vitro assays showed that MT1wt overexpression enhanced collagen I degradation, whereas MT1-MMP-silencing did the opposite, suggesting that tumor-derived MT1-MMP may contribute directly to bone remodeling. LNCaP-MT1wt-derived conditioned medium stimulated in vitro multinucleated osteoclast formation. This effect was inhibited by osteoprotegerin, a decoy receptor for receptor activator of nuclear factor kappaB ligand, and by 4-[4-(methanesulfonamido) phenoxy] phenylsulfonyl methylthiirane, an MT1-MMP inhibitor. Our findings are consistent with the hypothesis that prostate cancer-associated MT1-MMP plays a direct and/or indirect role in bone matrix degradation, thus favoring intraosseous tumor expansion.

Matrix metalloproteinase activity and osteoclasts in experimental prostate cancer bone metastasis tissue.

Previously, we and others showed that broad spectrum pharmaceutical inhibition of matrix metalloproteinase (MMP) activity reduces intraosseous tumor burden and bone degradation in animal models of bone metastasis. Herein, we used specific assays to measure net enzymatic activities of individual MMPs during colonization of bone by prostate cancer cells. PC3 cells were injected into the marrow of human fetal femurs previously implanted in SCID mice. Net MMP-9 activity in bone tissues peaked 2 weeks after injection, coinciding with a wave of osteoclast recruitment. In contrast, MMP-2 and MT1-MMP activity did not change. In vitro, co-culture of PC3 cells with bone tissue led to activation of pro-MMP-9 and increases in secreted net MMP-9 activity. Activation of pro-MMP-9 was prevented by metalloprotease inhibitors but not by inhibitors of other classes of proteases. Ribozyme suppression of MMP-9 expression in PC3 cells did not affect pro-MMP-9 activation or net MMP-9 activity and did not affect the phenotype of bone tumors. siRNA targeting of MMP-9 expression in preosteoclasts in vitro demonstrated that tumor-induced preosteoclast motility was dependent on MMP-9 expression. These data suggest that osteoclast-derived MMP-9 may represent a potential therapeutic target in bone metastasis and provide a rationale for the development of MMP-9-specific inhibitors.