Lysyl oxidase propeptide inhibits prostate cancer cell growth by mechanisms that target FGF-2-cell binding and signaling

Enhanced RAS signaling and decreased androgen dependence of prostate cancer cells accompany poor clinical outcomes. Elevated autocrine fibroblast growth factors 2 (FGF-2) signaling promotes prostate cancer cell growth and survival. Expression of lysyl oxidase (LOX) inhibits RAS transforming activity. LOX is secreted as 50 kDa pro-LOX protein and then undergoes extracellular proteolytic processing to form similar to 30 kDa LOX enzyme and similar to 18 kDa propeptide (LOX-PP). We have previously shown that LOX-PP inhibits breast cancer cell transformation and tumor formation, but mechanisms of action of LOX-PP have not been fully elucidated. Here we report that LOX expression is reduced in prostate cancer cell lines and that recombinant LOX-PP protein inhibits serum-stimulated DNA synthesis and MEK/ERK and PI3K/AKT pathways in DU 145 and PC-3 androgen-independent cell lines. In DU 145 cells, treatment with a pharmacologic FGF-receptor inhibitor or a neutralizing anti-FGFR1 antibody mimicked LOX-PP inhibition of serum-stimulated DNA synthesis. FGF-2-stimulated DNA synthesis, ERK1/2, AKT and FRS2 alpha activation were found all to be inhibited by LOX-PP in DU 145 cells. LOX-PP reduced specific binding of FGF-2 to DU 145 cells, suggesting that LOX-PP targets FGF signaling at the receptor. Interestingly, PC-3 cells did not respond to FGF-2, consistent with previous reports. We conclude that LOX-PP inhibits proliferation of DU 145 cells by interfering with FGFR(s) binding and signaling, and that LOX-PP has other mechanisms of action in PC-3 cells. Oncogene (2009) 28, 3390-3400; doi: 10.1038/onc.2009.203; published online 13 July 2009