Osteopontin stimulates melanoma growth and lung metastasis through NIK/MEKK1-dependent MMP-9 activation pathways.

We examined the role of osteopontin (OPN) in NIK- and MEKK1-dependent MMP-9 activation, melanoma growth and lung metastasis and its clinical significance in malignant melanoma. Here we report that OPN induces alphavbeta3 integrin-mediated MEKK1-dependent JNK1 phosphorylation. OPN stimulates NIK- or JNK1-dependent c-Jun expression. In contrast, OPN induces MEKK1-dependent JNK1 activation that leads to downregulation of ERK1/2 activation. OPN triggers NIK- and MEKK1-dependent AP-1 activation whereas NIK-dependent AP-1 activation is independent of JNK1 that leads to pro-MMP-9 activation. In vivo studies indicate that the levels of pNIK and MMP-9 are significantly higher in the OPN-induced primary tumor and metastasized lung compared to control. Clinical data revealed that the enhanced level of OPN and pNIK expression in the skin biopsies correlates with Clark's level and Breslow thickness. Altogether, OPN regulates negative cross-talk between NIK/ERK and MEKK1/JNK1 pathways that controls melanoma progression.