Upregulation of MMP-9 in MDCK epithelial cell line in response to expression of the Snail transcription factor

Overexpression of the transcription factor Snail in epithelial MDCK cells promotes the epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) and the acquisition of an invasive phenotype. We report here that the expression of Snail is associated with an increase in the promoter activity and expression of the matrix metalloproteinase MMP-9. The effect of Snail silencing on MMP-9 expression corroborates this finding. Induced transcription of MMP-9 by Snail is driven by a mechanism dependent on the MAPK and phosphoinositide 3-kinase (PI3K) signalling pathways. Although other regions of the promoter were required for a complete stimulation by Snail, a minimal fragment (nucleotides -97 to +114) produces a response following an increased phosphorylation of Sp-1 and either Sp-1 or Ets-1 binding to the GC-box elements contained in this region. The expression of a dominant negative form of MEK decreased these complexes. A moderate increase in the binding of the nuclear factor kappa B (NF kappa B) to the upstream region (nucleotide -562) of the MMP-9 promoter was also observed in Snail-expressing cells. Interestingly, oncogenic H-Ras (RasV12) synergistically co-operates with Snail in the induction of MMP-9 transcription and expression. Altogether, these results indicate that MMP-9 transcription is activated in response to Snail expression and that it might explain, at least in part, the invasive properties of the Snail-expressing cells.