Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jun 14, 2026

Development of a Human Preclinical Model of Osteoclastogenesis from Peripheral Blood Monocytes Co-cultured with Breast Cancer Cell Lines
Published on: September 13, 2017
Cancer cell expression of autotaxin controls bone metastasis formation in mouse through lysophosphatidic
Marion David1, Estelle Wannecq, Françoise Descotes
1INSERM, U664, Lyon, France.
Background:
Bone metastases are highly frequent complications of breast cancers. Current bone metastasis treatments using powerful anti-resorptive agents are only palliative indicating that factors independent of bone resorption control bone metastasis progression. Autotaxin (ATX/NPP2) is a secreted protein with both oncogenic and pro-metastatic properties. Through its lysosphospholipase D (lysoPLD) activity, ATX controls the level of lysophosphatidic acid (LPA) in the blood. Platelet-derived LPA promotes the progression of osteolytic bone metastases of breast cancer cells. We asked whether ATX was involved in the bone metastasis process. We characterized the role of ATX in osteolytic bone metastasis formation by using genetically modified breast cancer cells exploited on different osteolytic bone metastasis mouse models.
Methodology/Principal Findings:
Intravenous injection of human breast cancer MDA-B02 cells with forced expression of ATX (MDA-B02/ATX) to immunodeficiency BALB/C nude mice enhanced osteolytic bone metastasis formation, as judged by increased bone loss, tumor burden, and a higher number of active osteoclasts at the metastatic site. Mouse breast cancer 4T1 cells induced the formation of osteolytic bone metastases after intracardiac injection in immunocompetent BALB/C mice. These cells expressed active ATX and silencing ATX expression inhibited the extent of osteolytic bone lesions and decreased the number of active osteoclasts at the bone metastatic site. In vitro, osteoclast differentiation was enhanced in presence of MDA-B02/ATX cell conditioned media or recombinant autotaxin that was blocked by the autotaxin inhibitor vpc8a202. In vitro, addition of LPA to active charcoal-treated serum restored the capacity of the serum to support RANK-L/MCSF-induced osteoclastogenesis.
Conclusion/Significance:
Expression of autotaxin by cancer cells controls osteolytic bone metastasis formation. This work demonstrates a new role for LPA as a factor that stimulates directly cancer growth and metastasis, and osteoclast differentiation. Therefore, targeting the autotaxin/LPA track emerges as a potential new therapeutic approach to improve the outcome of patients with bone metastases.
Insights
Autotaxin (ATX) expression in cancer cells drives osteolytic bone metastasis formation by promoting tumor growth and osteoclast differentiation. Targeting the ATX/lysophosphatidic acid (LPA) pathway offers a potential therapeutic strategy for bone metastasis.
Area of Science:
- Oncology
- Molecular Biology
- Cancer Metastasis
Background:
- Bone metastases are common in breast cancer, and current treatments are palliative.
- Autotaxin (ATX) is implicated in cancer progression and metastasis.
- Platelet-derived lysophosphatidic acid (LPA) promotes osteolytic bone metastasis.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the role of ATX in osteolytic bone metastasis formation.
- To characterize the mechanisms by which ATX influences bone metastasis.
Main Methods:
- Genetically modified breast cancer cells (MDA-B02/ATX and 4T1) were used in mouse models.
- ATX expression was manipulated (forced expression and silencing).
- In vitro assays assessed osteoclast differentiation and the effect of ATX inhibition.
Main Results:
- Forced ATX expression enhanced bone metastasis, bone loss, and osteoclast activity.
- ATX silencing in 4T1 cells reduced bone metastasis and osteoclast numbers.
- ATX and LPA promoted osteoclast differentiation in vitro, which was blocked by an ATX inhibitor.
Conclusions:
- Cancer cell-expressed ATX is a key driver of osteolytic bone metastasis.
- LPA directly stimulates cancer growth, metastasis, and osteoclast differentiation.
- Targeting the ATX/LPA axis presents a novel therapeutic avenue for bone metastasis.
More Related Videos
11:15A Preclinical Mouse Model of Osteosarcoma to Define the Extracellular Vesicle-mediated Communication Between Tumor and Mesenchymal Stem Cells
Published on: May 6, 2018
07:00Intra-iliac Artery Injection for Efficient and Selective Modeling of Microscopic Bone Metastasis
Published on: September 26, 2016
Related Concept Videos
mTOR Signaling and Cancer Progression
The mTOR pathway or the...
Autocrine Signaling
Autocrine Signaling in Macrophages
Under normal physiological conditions, autocrine signaling is essential for maintaining homeostasis. This process is well characterized in...
Adaptive Mechanisms in Cancer Cells
Some of the advantages that cancer cells have on normal cells include - enhanced ability to divide without terminally differentiating, induce new blood vessel formation,...
Metastasis
Epithelial-to-Mesenchymal Transition
The epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition or EMT is a developmental process commonly observed in wound healing, embryogenesis, and cancer metastasis. EMT is induced by transforming growth factor-beta (TGF-β) or receptor tyrosine kinase (RTK) ligands, which further...
Cancer Cell Migration through Invadopodia
PI3K/mTOR/AKT Signaling Pathway