Human chorionic gonadotropin β induces migration and invasion via activating ERK1/2 and MMP-2 in human prostate cancer DU145 cells.

We previously demonstrated that human chorionic gonadotropin β (hCGβ) induced migration and invasion in human prostate cancer cells. However, the involved molecular mechanisms are unclear. Here, we established a stable prostate cancer cell line overexpressing hCGβ and tested hCGβ-triggered signaling pathways causing cell migration and invasion. ELISA showed that the hCGβ amount secreted into medium increased with culture time after the hCGβ-transfected cells were incubated for 3, 6, 9, 12 and 24 h. More, hCGβ standards promoted MAPK (ERK1/2) phosphorylation and increased MMP-2 expression and activity in both dose- and time-dependent manners in hCGβ non-transfected cells. In addition, hCGβ promoted ERK1/2 phosphorylation and increased MMP-2 expression and activity significantly in hCGβ transfected DU145 cells. Whereas ERK1/2 blocker PD98059 (25 µM) significantly downregulated phosphorylated ERK1/2 and MMP-2. Particularly, hCGβ promoted cell migration and invasion, yet the PD98059 diminished the hCGβ-induced cell motility under those conditions. These results indicated that hCGβ induced cell motility via promoting ERK1/2 phosphorylation and MMP-2 upregulation in human prostate cancer DU145 cells.