Hasan Md Kamrul, Widhopf Ii George F, Ghia Emanuela M, Kipps Thomas J
Center for Novel Therapeutics, Moores Cancer Center, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA.
Leukemia. 2025 Apr 28. doi: 10.1038/s41375-025-02616-4.
Matrix metalloproteinase-9 (MMP-9) facilitates the extravasation and lymphoid-tissue infiltration of chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) cells. Prior studies found that high level expression of MMP-9 in CLL associates more aggressive disease. We find that circulating CLL cells that express high levels the onco-embryonic protein ROR1 express significantly higher levels of MMP-9. Stimulation of CLL cells with Wnt5a could enhance expression and the release of MMP-9 into the culture media and increase the capacity of CLL cells to invade Matrigel in a Boyden-Chamber Assay. Such effects of Wnt5a could not be inhibited by BTK inhibitors such as ibrutinib or zanubrutinib, but could be blocked by zilovertamab, a humanized mAb specific for ROR1. We found that siRNA silencing of NF-κB-p65 or use of an NF-κB inhibitor (CAS 545380-34-5) blocked the capacity of Wnt5a to induce MMP-9 or enhance the invasive capacity of treated CLL cells. Moreover, siRNA directed silencing of MMP9 or treatment with an MMP-9 inhibitor (CAS 1177749-58-4) also blocked the invasive capability of CLL cells induced by Wnt5a. We conclude that Wnt5a-induced ROR1-signaling can induce expression of MMP-9 on CLL cells through activation of NF-κB, thereby enhancing the extravasation and lymphoid-tissue infiltration required for CLL cell trafficking.
基质金属蛋白酶-9(MMP-9)促进慢性淋巴细胞白血病(CLL)细胞的外渗和淋巴组织浸润。先前的研究发现,CLL中MMP-9的高水平表达与更具侵袭性的疾病相关。我们发现,高表达癌胚蛋白ROR1的循环CLL细胞表达的MMP-9水平显著更高。用Wnt5a刺激CLL细胞可增强MMP-9的表达并将其释放到培养基中,并增加CLL细胞在博伊登小室试验中侵袭基质胶的能力。Wnt5a的这种作用不能被布鲁顿酪氨酸激酶(BTK)抑制剂如伊布替尼或泽布替尼抑制,但可被特异性针对ROR1的人源化单克隆抗体zilovertamab阻断。我们发现,NF-κB-p65的小干扰RNA(siRNA)沉默或使用NF-κB抑制剂(CAS 545380-34-5)可阻断Wnt5a诱导MMP-9或增强经处理的CLL细胞侵袭能力的作用。此外,针对MMP9的siRNA定向沉默或用MMP-9抑制剂(CAS 1177749-58-4)处理也可阻断Wnt5a诱导的CLL细胞侵袭能力。我们得出结论,Wnt5a诱导的ROR1信号传导可通过激活NF-κB诱导CLL细胞上MMP-9的表达,从而增强CLL细胞迁移所需的外渗和淋巴组织浸润。