Tumor endothelin-1 enhances metastatic colonization of the lung in mouse xenograft models of bladder cancer.

ABSTRACT: Many patients with advanced bladder cancer develop lethal metastases to the lung. The vasoconstricting protein endothelin-1 (ET-1) has been implicated in this process, although the mechanism(s) by which it promotes metastasis remains unclear. Here, we have evaluated whether tumor ET-1 expression can serve as a biomarker for lung metastasis and whether it is required for metastatic disease. Evaluation of ET-1 mRNA and protein expression in four patient cohorts revealed that levels of ET-1 are higher in patients with muscle-invasive bladder cancers, which are associated with higher incidence of metastasis, and that high ET-1 levels are associated with decreased disease-specific survival. Consistent with its proinflammatory activity, we found that tumor-derived ET-1 acts through endothelin-1

SUBMITTER: Said N 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3007145 | biostudies-literature | 2011 Jan

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature