The extracellular matrix (ECM) plays a critical role during the development and invasion of primary brain tumours. However, the function of ECM components and signalling between a permissive ECM and invasive astrocytes is not fully understood. We have recently reported the ECM enzyme, lysyl oxidase (LOX), in the central nervous system and observed up-regulation of LOX in anaplastic astrocytoma cells. While the catalytic function of LOX is essential for cross-linking of ECM proteins, we also reported that LOX induced invasive and metastatic properties in breast tumour epithelial cells through hydrogen peroxide-mediated FAK/Src activation. In this study, we tested the hypothesis that active LOX is expressed in anaplastic astrocytes and promotes FAK activation and invasive/migratory behaviour. Results demonstrate that increased expression and activity of LOX positively correlated with invasive phenotype of malignant astrocytoma cell lines. Immunohistochemistry detected increased LOX within tumour cells and ECM in grade I-IV astrocytic neoplasm compared with normal brain and coincidence of increased LOX with the loss of glial fibrillary acidic protein in higher-grade tumours. Increased active LOX in invasive astrocytes was accompanied by phosphorylation of FAK[Tyr576] and paxillin[Tyr118]; furthermore, both FAK and paxillin tyrosine phosphorylation were diminished by beta-aminopropionitrile inhibition of LOX activity and depletion of H(2)O(2) via catalase treatment. Additionally, we provide evidence that in astrocytes, LOX is likely processed by bone morphogenic protein-1 and LOX activity might be further stimulated by the expression of fibronectin in these cells. These results demonstrate an important LOX-mediated mechanism that promotes migratory/invasive behaviour of malignant astrocytes.