Upregulation of neutrophil gelatinase-associated lipocalin by ErbB2 through nuclear factor-kappaB activation.

ErbB2 (HER2, neu) is a receptor tyrosine kinase overexpressed in about 25% of invasive breast carcinomas. Neutrophil gelatinase-associated lipocalin (NGAL) is a secreted glycoprotein expressed in a variety of cancers, including breast carcinomas. NGAL can inhibit erythroid cell production, leading to anemia. Anemia usually occurs in cancer patients and negatively affects quality of life. However, current treatment for cancer-related anemia has potential complications. ErbB2, NGAL, and anemia have all been associated with increased metastasis and poor prognosis in breast cancer patients, although the relationship between ErbB2 and NGAL expression is not clear. Here, using breast cancer cell lines in vitro and transgenic mice carrying the activated c-neu oncogene driven by a mouse mammary tumor virus (MMTV-neu) in vivo, we show that ErbB2 overexpression leads to NGAL upregulation, which is dependent on nuclear factor-kappaB (NF-kappaB) activity. MMTV-neu transgenic mice developed anemia after tumor onset, and anemia progression could be partially arrested by a NF-kappaB inhibitor and ErbB2-targeted therapy. Taken together, upregulation of NGAL by ErbB2 through NF-kappaB activation is involved in cancer-related anemia, and the ErbB2, NF-kappaB, and NGAL pathways may serve as potential therapeutic targets for cancer-related anemia.