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Ionizing radiation modulates vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) expression through multiple mitogen activated protein kinase dependent pathways

Oncogene volume 20, pages 3266–3280 (2001)Cite this article

A Corrigendum to this article was published on 23 November 2001

Abstract

We investigated the role of radiation-induced mitogen activated protein kinase (MAPK) pathway activity in the regulation of proliferation, cell survival and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) production in primary astrocytes and in T9 and RT2 glioblastoma cells derived from Fisher 344 rats. In these cells, ionizing radiation (2 Gy) caused activation of the MAPK pathway which was blocked by specific inhibitor drugs. Blunting of radiation-induced MAPK activity weakly enhanced radiation-induced apoptosis 24 h after exposure in RT2 cells. Furthermore, blunting of MAPK activation weakly enhanced the ability of radiation to reduce RT2 cell growth in clonogenic growth assays. These findings argue that inhibition of MAPK signaling reduces proliferation and enhances cell killing by ionizing radiation in transformed astrocytes. Proliferation and survival of cancer cells has been linked in vivo to enhanced expression of angiogenic growth factors. Recently we demonstrated that the gene product of a novel rodent radiation-responsive gene, progression elevated gene 3 (PEG-3), could enhance vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) promoter activity in rodent fibroblasts, leading to increased VEGF protein levels and tumorigenic behavior in vivo. Thus PEG-3 and VEGF expression could be expected to directly correlate with the oncogenic potential of transformed cells. RT2 cells expressed more PEG-3 and VEGF protein than T9 cells, and were more tumorigenic in vivo than T9 cells. Radiation activated the PEG-3 promoter via MAPK signaling and ectopic over-expression of PEG-3 enhanced both basal MAPK activity and basal VEGF promoter activity. Basal MAPK activity partially correlated with basal VEGF promoter activity and VEGF protein levels in primary astrocytes, T9 and RT2 cells. Radiation increased the activity of the VEGF promoter and VEGF protein levels in primary astrocytes, T9 and RT2 cells which were dependent upon MAPK function. Furthermore, inhibition of AP-1 transcription factor signaling by dominant negative c-Jun (TAM67) also significantly reduced basal, and to a lesser extent radiation-induced, VEGF promoter function in RT2 cells. Collectively, our data demonstrate that radiation-induced MAPK signaling can both protect cells from radiation-induced cell death as well as enhance protein levels of pro-angiogenic factors such as VEGF. Enhanced VEGF expression in RT2 cells may be mediated via MAPK and JNK pathway signaling which converges upon the AP-1 transcription factor complex.

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Abbreviations

MAPK:

mitogen activated protein kinase

JNK:

c-Jun NH2-terminal kinase

VEGF:

vascular endothelial growth factor

PEG-3:

progression elevated gene-3.

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Acknowledgements

This research was supported in part by National Institute of Health Grants DK52875, GM31452 and CA35675, Department of Defense grant BC98-0148, the V Foundation, the Chernow Endowment and the Samuel Waxman Cancer Research Foundation. PB Fisher is the Michael and Stella Chernow Urological Cancer Research Scientist. D Hinman is the recipient of the Virginia Junior Academy of Sciences, American Cancer Society Award for the year 2000. P Dent thanks Dr K Valerie for assistance with culture of T9 and RT2 cells and Dr PS Lin for performing colonogenic survival assays.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Radiation Oncology, Medical College of Virginia, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, 23298, Virginia, VA, USA

    Jong-Sung Park, Liang Qiao, Darin Hinman, Robert McKinstry, Adly Yacoub, Michael P Hagan & Paul Dent

  2. Department of Physiology, Medical College of Virginia, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, 23298, Virginia, VA, USA

    Paul Dent

  3. Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Medical College of Virginia, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, 23298, Virginia, VA, USA

    Karen Willoughby, Steven Grant, Earl Ellis & Paul Dent

  4. Department of Urology and Pathology, Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons, 630 W168th Street, New York, 10032, NY, USA

    Zao-Zong Su & Paul B Fisher

  5. Department of Microbiology, Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons, 630 W168th Street, New York, 10032, NY, USA

    Gregory J Duigou & Charles S H Young

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Park, JS., Qiao, L., Su, ZZ. et al. Ionizing radiation modulates vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) expression through multiple mitogen activated protein kinase dependent pathways. Oncogene 20, 3266–3280 (2001). https://doi.org/10.1038/sj.onc.1204258

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