β6 integrin induces the expression of metalloproteinase-3 and metalloproteinase-9 in colon cancer cells via ERK-ETS1 pathway

• β6 integrin induces ETS1 activation via the ERK/MAPK pathways.
• ETS1 regulates MMP-3/MMP-9 gene expression in colon cancer cells.
• β6 integrin up-regulates MMP-3/MMP-9 by ERK-ETS1 signaling pathways.
• Internalization of integrin αvβ6 plays a role in β6-induced ETS1 activities.
• β6-induced MMP-3/MMP-9 via ERK-ETS1 is required for invasion of colon cancer cells.

We previously reported that β6 integrin played an important role in the progression of colon cancer. In this study, we demonstrated that β6 integrin induced the expression of MMP-3/MMP-9 and the invasion of colon cancer cells. Moreover, that function was abolished by the inhibition of ERK/MAPK pathways or knockdown of ETS1, an important transcription factor of MMP genes. Here, we showed that β6 induced phosphorylation of ETS1 via the ERK/MAPK pathways, through which the MMP-3/MMP-9 promoters were stimulated, thereby leading to the up-regulation of MMP-3/MMP-9, and subsequent the invasion of colon cancer cells.