c-Met-mediated endothelial plasticity drives aberrant vascularization and chemoresistance in glioblastoma

J Clin Invest. 2016 May 2;126(5):1801-14. doi: 10.1172/JCI84876. Epub 2016 Apr 4.

Abstract

Aberrant vascularization is a hallmark of cancer progression and treatment resistance. Here, we have shown that endothelial cell (EC) plasticity drives aberrant vascularization and chemoresistance in glioblastoma multiforme (GBM). By utilizing human patient specimens, as well as allograft and genetic murine GBM models, we revealed that a robust endothelial plasticity in GBM allows acquisition of fibroblast transformation (also known as endothelial mesenchymal transition [Endo-MT]), which is characterized by EC expression of fibroblast markers, and determined that a prominent population of GBM-associated fibroblast-like cells have EC origin. Tumor ECs acquired the mesenchymal gene signature without the loss of EC functions, leading to enhanced cell proliferation and migration, as well as vessel permeability. Furthermore, we identified a c-Met/ETS-1/matrix metalloproteinase-14 (MMP-14) axis that controls VE-cadherin degradation, Endo-MT, and vascular abnormality. Pharmacological c-Met inhibition induced vessel normalization in patient tumor-derived ECs. Finally, EC-specific KO of Met inhibited vascular transformation, normalized blood vessels, and reduced intratumoral hypoxia, culminating in suppressed tumor growth and prolonged survival in GBM-bearing mice after temozolomide treatment. Together, these findings illustrate a mechanism that controls aberrant tumor vascularization and suggest that targeting Endo-MT may offer selective and efficient strategies for antivascular and vessel normalization therapies in GBM, and possibly other malignant tumors.

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Cell Hypoxia / drug effects
  • Cell Hypoxia / genetics
  • Cell Movement / drug effects
  • Cell Movement / genetics
  • Cell Proliferation / drug effects
  • Cell Proliferation / genetics
  • Dacarbazine / analogs & derivatives
  • Dacarbazine / pharmacology
  • Drug Resistance, Neoplasm*
  • Endothelial Cells / metabolism*
  • Endothelial Cells / pathology
  • Female
  • Glioblastoma / blood supply*
  • Glioblastoma / drug therapy
  • Glioblastoma / genetics
  • Glioblastoma / metabolism*
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Matrix Metalloproteinase 14 / genetics
  • Matrix Metalloproteinase 14 / metabolism
  • Mice
  • Mice, Knockout
  • Neovascularization, Pathologic / drug therapy
  • Neovascularization, Pathologic / genetics
  • Neovascularization, Pathologic / metabolism*
  • Neovascularization, Pathologic / pathology
  • Proto-Oncogene Protein c-ets-1 / genetics
  • Proto-Oncogene Protein c-ets-1 / metabolism
  • Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-met / genetics
  • Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-met / metabolism*
  • Temozolomide

Substances

  • ETS1 protein, human
  • Ets1 protein, mouse
  • Mmp14 protein, mouse
  • Proto-Oncogene Protein c-ets-1
  • Dacarbazine
  • Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-met
  • MMP14 protein, human
  • Matrix Metalloproteinase 14
  • Temozolomide