OXER1 is a recently identified receptor, binding the
arachidonic acid metabolic product
5-oxo-ETE, considered an inflammatory receptor, implicated in chemoattraction of circulating mononuclear cells, Ca2+ surge in neutrophils,
inflammation and
cancer. Recently, we have shown that OXER1 is also a membrane
androgen receptor in various
cancer tissues. It was reported that the presence of OXER1 in leucocytes and the production and release of
5-oxo-ETE by wounded tissues is a
wound sensing mechanism, leading to lymphocyte attraction. In view of the similarity of hallmarks of
cancer and wound healing, we have explored the role of OXER1 and its endogenous
ligand in the control of cell migration of human
cancer epithelial cells (DU-145, T47D and Hep3B), mimicking the activation/migration phase of healing. We show that OXER1 is up-regulated only at the leading edge of the
wound and its expression is up-regulated by its
ligand 5-oxo-ETE, in a time-related manner. Knock-down of OXER1 or inhibition of
5-oxo-ETE synthesis led to decreased migration of cells and a prolongation of healing, in culture
prostate cancer cell monolayers, with a substantial modification of actin cytoskeleton and a decreased filopodia formation. Inhibition of cell migration is a phenomenon mediated by Gβγ OXER1 mediated actions. These results provide a novel mechanism of OXER1 implication in
cancer progression and might be of value for the design of novel OXER1 antagonists.