A novel monoclonal antibody, L1A3, is directed to the functional site of the alpha v integrin subunit

Extracellular Matrix Glycoprotein-Derived Synthetic Peptides Differentially Modulate Glioma and Sarcoma Cell Migration

Glycoproteins of the extracellular matrix (ECM) regulate proliferation, migration, and differentiation in numerous cell lineages. ECM functions are initiated by small peptide sequences embedded in large constituents that are recognized by specific cellular receptors. In this study, we have investigated the biological effects of peptides derived from collagen type IV and tenascin-C compared to the well-known RGD peptide originally discovered in fibronectin. The influence of glycoproteins and corresponding peptides on the migration of the glioma cell lines U-251-MG and U-373-MG and the sarcoma line S-117 was studied. When the cell lines were tested in a modified Boyden chamber assay on filters coated with the ECM glycoproteins, glioma cells showed a strong migration response on tenascin-C and the basal lamina constituent collagen IV, in contrast to S-117 cells. In order to identify relevant stimulatory motifs, peptides derived from fibronectin (6NHX-GRGDSF), tenascin-C (TN-C, VSWRAPTA), and collagen type IV (MNYYSNS) were compared, either applied in solution in combination with ECM glycoprotein substrates, in solution in the presence of untreated membranes, or coated on the filters of the Boyden chambers. Using this strategy, we could identify the novel tenascin-C-derived peptide motif VSWRAPTA as a migration stimulus for glioma cells. Furthermore, while kin peptides generally blocked the effects of the respective homologous ECM proteins, unexpected effects were observed in heterologous situations. There, in several cases, addition of soluble peptides strongly boosted the response to the coated ECM proteins. We propose that peptides may synergize or antagonize each other by stimulating different signaling pathways.

In vitro irradiation of basement membrane enhances the invasiveness of breast cancer cells

Following removal of the primary breast tumour by conservative surgery, patients may still have additional malignant foci scattered throughout the breast. Radiation treatments are not designed to eliminate all these residual cancer cells. Rather, the radiation dose is calculated to optimise long-term results with minimal complications. In a tumour, cancer cells are surrounded by a basement membrane, which plays an important role in the regulation of gene expression. Using an invasion chamber, we have shown that irradiation before cell plating of a reconstituted basement membrane (Matrigel; Becton Dickinson, Bedford, MA, USA) increased the invasiveness of the breast cancer cells MDA-MB-231. This radiation enhancement of invasion was associated with the upregulation of the pro-invasive gene matrix metalloproteinase (MMP)-2. The expression of membrane type 1 matrix metalloproteinase (MT1-MMP) and tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinase-2 (TIMP), which are required to activate the MMP-2, were also increased. Confirming the role of MMP-2 and MT1-MMP, radiation enhancement of cancer cell invasion was prevented by an MMP-2 inhibitor and an anti-MT1-MMP antibody. This study also demonstrated that radiation can potentially enhance the invasion ability by inducing the release of pro-invasive factors stored in the Matrigel. Conversely, no enhancement of invasiveness was observed with the low metastatic cell line MCF-7. This lack of invasiveness correlated with the absence of the MMP-2 activator MT1-MMP in the MCF-7 cells. Radiotherapy is an efficient modality to treat breast cancer which could be further improved by inhibiting the pro-invasive gene upregulated by radiation.

MT1-MMP initiates activation of pro-MMP-2 and integrin alphavbeta3 promotes maturation of MMP-2 in breast carcinoma cells

We evaluated cellular mechanisms involved in the activation pathway of matrix prometalloproteinase-2 (pro-MMP-2), an enzyme implicated in the malignant progression of many tumor types. Membrane type-1 matrix metalloproteinase (MT1-MMP) cleaves the N-terminal prodomain of pro-MMP-2 thus generating the activation intermediate that then matures into the fully active enzyme of MMP-2. Our results provide evidence on how a collaboration between MT1-MMP and integrin alphavbeta3 promotes more efficient activation and specific, transient docking of the activation intermediate and, further, the mature, active enzyme of MMP-2 at discrete regions of cells. We show that coexpression of MT1-MMP and integrin alphavbeta3 in MCF7 breast carcinoma cells specifically enhances in trans autocatalytic maturation of MMP-2. The association of MMP-2's C-terminal hemopexin-like domain with those molecules of integrin alphavbeta3 which are proximal to MT1-MMP facilitates MMP-2 maturation. Vitronectin, a specific ligand of integrin alphavbeta3, competitively blocked the integrin-dependent maturation of MMP-2. Immunofluorescence and immunoprecipitation studies supported clustering of MT1-MMP and integrin alphavbeta3 at discrete regions of the cell surface. Evidently, the identified mechanisms appear to be instrumental to clustering active MMP-2 directly at the invadopodia and invasive front of alphavbeta3-expressing cells or in their close vicinity, thereby accelerating tumor cell locomotion.

Effect of therapeutic macromolecules in spheroids

Recent advances in biotechnology have allowed the production of new types of macromolecular therapeutic agents (antibodies, immunotoxins, cytokines, extracellular matrix molecule (ECM) proteins, vectors) that may eventually find broad clinical applications in the treatment of human tumors and other diseases. The model of the Multicellular Tumor Spheroids (MTS) represents a valuable tool to test the therapeutic potential of these new pharmacologic agents in a 3-D context. Specific questions pertaining to the behaviour in a 3-D setting of some of the macromolecules under evaluation for in vivo applications can also be addressed in the MTS model (e.g. 'binding site barrier', role of cell-cell and cell-ECM interactions). This paper reviews the most significant contributions regarding the delivery of macromolecules to MTS, the penetration and therapeutic effects of antibodies, radiolabelled antibodies, immunotoxins and other macromolecular compounds.

Functional activation of integrin alpha V beta 3 in tumor cells expressing membrane-type 1 matrix metalloproteinase

Matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) and integrins have been implicated in a variety of processes involved in tumor progression. To evaluate the individual roles of integrin alphavbeta3 and membrane-type 1 matrix metalloproteinase (MT1-MMP), as well as the effects of their joint expression on tumor cell functions, MCF7 breast carcinoma cells were transfected stably with either the MT1-MMP, the beta3 integrin subunit or both MT1-MMP and beta3 cDNAs. MT1-MMP expression is accompanied by the functional activation of integrin alphaVbeta3, thereby increasing vitronectin-mediated adhesion and migration of MCF7 cells transfected with MT1-MMP and integrin alphaVbeta3. MT1-MMP-dependent functional activation of alphaVbeta3 correlates with modification(s) of the beta3 subunit, including its higher electrophoretic mobility and affected the LM609-binding site. MCF7 cells jointly expressing MT1-MMP and alphaVbeta3 were the most efficient in adhesion to the recombinant C-terminal domain of MMP-2 as well as in generating soluble and cell surface associated mature MMP-2 enzyme. These findings suggest a mechanism of selective docking of MMP-2 at tumor cell surfaces, specifically at the sites that include MT1-MMP and activated integrin alphaVbeta3. These mechanisms may provide a link between spatial regulation of focal proteolysis by the cell surface associated MMPs and the regulation of integrin-mediated motility of tumor cells.