Inhibition of EGF-dependent mitogenesis by prostaglandin E 2 in Syrian hamster embryo fibroblasts

Abstract

Lipid metabolism can play an important role in the development and progression of human cancers. We have used Syrian hamster embryo (SHE) fibroblasts as a model system to study how lipid metabolites can alter cell proliferation and apoptosis. For example, the linoleic acid metabolite 13(S)-HpODE enhances EGF-dependent growth by inhibiting de-phosphorylation of the EGFR which leads to activation of the MAP kinase pathway. In contrast, the arachidonic acid metabolite, PGE 2, inhibits EGF-dependent mitogenesis and the expression of the proto-oncogenes c-myc, c-jun, and jun-B. In this study, we have investigated the mechanism by which PGE 2 attenuates these responses by studying the EGF signaling cascade in SHE cells. PGE 2 pretreatment caused a concentration-dependent decrease in EGF-dependent phosphorylation of MAP kinase and a corresponding inhibition of EGF-stimulated MAP kinase activity. Pretreatment of the SHE cells with PGE 2 had little effect on the magnitude of EGF-dependent receptor auto-phosphorylation and the phosphorylation of GAP suggesting a down-stream target. Treatment of cells with forskolin and EGF causes similar inhibition of MAP kinase phosphorylation as observed with PGE 2 and EGF. Since PGE 2 elevates cAMP in these cells, it may act by altering cAMP accumulation. Raf-1 activity can be inhibited by a cAMP-dependent process. Raf-1 activity, measured by phosphorylation of Mek-1, was attenuated by the addition of PGE 2. To determine if inhibition of Raf-1 activity causes inhibition of the MAP kinase pathway, cells were concomitantly incubated with PGE 2 and EGF. Inhibition of MAP kinase phosphorylation was observed. From these data, we propose that in SHE cells PGE 2 increases cAMP levels, which in turn causes inhibition of Raf-1 activity. The MAP kinase pathway is thus downregulated which decreases mitogenesis and proto-oncogene expression. This study demonstrates that an arachidonic acid metabolite can modulate phosphorylation and activity of key signal transduction proteins in a growth factor mitogenic pathway.