Interplay of N-Cadherin and matrix metalloproteinase 9 enhances human nasopharyngeal carcinoma cell invasion

BACKGROUND: N-cadherin is a trans-membrane adhesion molecule associated with advanced carcinoma progression and poor prognosis. The effect of N-cadherin on matrix metalloproteinase 9 (MMP-9) regulation is implicated in human nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) cell invasion. METHODS AND RESULTS: Exposure of NPC cells to phorbol-12-myristate-13-acetate (PMA) or macrophage conditioned media (CM) upregulated MMP-9 and N-cadherin cleavage, which resulted in NPC cell invasion. MMP-9 cleaved the extracellular domain of N-cadherin, which was further cleaved by γ-secretase with PMA or macrophage-CM treatment. The extracellular cleavage of N-cadherin was inhibited with treatment with an MMP inhibitor and MMP-9 siRNA, whereas the intracellular cleavage of N-cadherin was inhibited by treatment with a γ-secretase inhibitor (γI), which resulted in enhanced accumulation of N-cadherin C-terminal fragment (CTF1, ~40 kDa). CTF2/N-cad (CTF2), a product of the γ-secretase cleavage of N-cadherin, was released and translocated into the nuclear compartment in PMA-treated cells. Moreover, CTF2 enhanced the effect of PMA-mediated MMP-9 gene expression as assessed by treatment with γI or overexpression with exogenous CTF2. Additionally, siRNA silencing of N-cadherin decreased PMA-mediated MMP-9 expression and cell invasion. The outside-in signaling effect of MMP-9 in macrophage CM- or PMA-treated cell cultures significantly enhanced NPC cell invasion via N-cadherin cleavage. CONCLUSION: Extracellular and intracellular cleavage of N-cadherin might be involved in elevated MMP-9 expression enhancing tumor cell invasion. Furthermore, N-cadherin–affected tumor progression might be via enhanced MMP-9 signaling in a cross-talk regulatory mechanism. N-cadherin might contribute to the invasive characteristics of carcinoma cells by upregulating MMP-9, thereby leading to increased aggressive metastasis. ELECTRONIC SUPPLEMENTARY MATERIAL: The online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s12885-016-2846-4) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.