Mammalian
matrix metalloproteinases (
MMPs) which degrade extracellular matrix facilitate
colon cancer cell invasion into the bloodstream and extra-colonic tissues; in particular, MMP1 expression correlates strongly with advanced
colon cancer stage, hematogenous
metastasis and poor prognosis. Likewise,
muscarinic receptor signaling plays an important role in
colon cancer;
muscarinic receptors are over-expressed in
colon cancer compared to normal colon epithelial cells.
Muscarinic receptor activation stimulates proliferation, migration and invasion of human
colon cancer cells. In mouse intestinal
neoplasia models genetic ablation of
muscarinic receptors attenuates
carcinogenesis. In the present work, we sought to link these observations by showing that MMP1 expression and activation plays a mechanistic role in
muscarinic receptor agonist-induced
colon cancer cell invasion. We show that
acetylcholine, which robustly increases MMP1 expression, stimulates invasion of HT29 and H508 human
colon cancer cells into human umbilical vein endothelial cell monolayers - this was abolished by pre-incubation with
atropine, a non-selective
muscarinic receptor inhibitor, and by pre-incubation with anti-MMP1
neutralizing antibody. Similar results were obtained using a
Matrigel chamber assay and
deoxycholyltaurine (DCT), an amidated dihydroxy
bile acid associated with colon
neoplasia in animal models and humans, and previously shown to interact functionally with
muscarinic receptors. DCT treatment of human
colon cancer cells resulted in time-dependent, 10-fold increased MMP1 expression, and DCT-induced cell invasion was also blocked by pre-treatment with anti-MMP1 antibody. This study contributes to understanding mechanisms underlying
muscarinic receptor agonist-induced promotion of
colon cancer and, more importantly, indicates that blocking MMP1 expression and activation has therapeutic promise to stop or retard
colon cancer invasion and dissemination.