The non-receptor tyrosine kinase c-Src mediates the PDGF-induced association between Furin and pro-MT1-MMP in HPAC pancreatic cells.

Furin is a member of the proprotein convertase family, which is capable of cleaving the precursors of a wide variety of substrates including membrane-type 1 matrix metalloproteinase (MT1-MMP) proenzyme. c-Src is activated by growth factors, and has been linked with a poor prognosis in pancreatic cancer (PCa). Both c-Src and Furin play crucial roles in tumorigenesis, and the mechanism controlling their association is not understood. Modulation of the association between Furin and pro-MT1-MMP by c-Src inhibitor PP2 was evaluated by western blotting, assay of in vitro enzyme, co-immunoprecipitation (co-IP), and confocal immunofluorescence microscopy. Human platelet-derived growth factor BB (PDGF-BB) activated c-Src and induced c-Src-dependent association of Furin with pro-MT1-MMP in HPAC pancreatic cancer cells. Co-IP and confocal immunofluorescence assays revealed that c-Src interacts with Furin in vivo. The SH2 domain appeared to be important for c-Src interaction with Furin. In addition, we showed that Furin protein is tyrosine phosphorylated. Association between Furin and MT1-MMP is regulated by the tyrosine kinase c-Src.