MBP-1 inhibits breast cancer growth and metastasis in immunocompetent mice.

Breast cancer is the leading cause of cancer death among women. We have shown previously an antiproliferative effect of MBP-1 on several human cancer cells. In this study, we have examined the potential of MBP-1 as a gene therapeutic candidate in regression of breast cancer growth and metastasis in an immunocompetent mouse model. For this, we have used a mouse breast cancer cell line (EO771) and syngeneic C57BL/6 mice. EO771 cells were implanted into the mammary fat pad of C57BL/6 mice. Replication-deficient recombinant adenovirus expressing MBP-1 was administered intratumorally to determine gene therapeutic potential. The results showed a significant regression of primary and distant (lung) tumor growth. Animals exhibited prolonged survival on treatment with MBP-1 compared with the control group (dl312). Subsequent studies suggested that MBP-1 inhibits matrix metalloproteinase expression in human breast cancer cells. Cells transduced with MBP-1 displayed inhibition of migration in a wound-healing assay. The conditioned medium from MBP-1-transduced cells blocked in vitro tube formation assay and inhibited expression of several angiogenic molecules. Taken together, our study shows that MBP-1 acts as a double-edged sword by inhibiting primary and metastatic tumor growth and modulating matrix metalloproteinase expression with a therapeutic potential against breast cancer progression.