Abstract 5587: Novel monoclonal antibodies block N-glycosylation Sites of the MUC16 ectodomain in ovarian carcinoma

The MUC16 gene encodes the CA125 antigen that imparts a negative survival impact on patients with high-grade serous ovarian cancer. Short elements from the C-terminal region of MUC16 transform 3T3 cells. Introduction of the 114 amino acid C-terminal portion of MUC16 promotes invasive growth in xenograft models. This effect is dependent on N-glycosylation sites of MUC16 and interactions present on the cell surface. Mechanisms by which the ectodomain promotes MUC16 oncogenic behaviors, the function of N-glycosylation and the implicated cell surface receptors are not fully delineated.

To unravel the complex MUC16 cancer biology, in this study we investigated the glycosylation-based mechanisms and potential partners involved in MUC16 oncogenic effects, and show that site-specific glycosylation of MUC16 plays a key role in mucin-related transformation by mediating complex cell surface interactions. These effects are mediated through MGAT5-dependent N-glycosylation of two proximal N- glycosylation sites within the 58 amino acid retained MUC16 ectodomain acting in combination with Galectin-3 and growth factor receptors. Neither N- nor O-glycosylation sites in the more distally located MUC16 regions can functionally substitute for those two sites. The tumor-enhancing properties of MUC16 depend on co-localization of MUC16, Galectin-3, and growth factors receptors on lipid rafts. Loss of either Galectin-3 expression or the glycosylation enzyme MGAT5 completely abrogates MUC16 tumor promotion. Using synthetic glycopeptides, we have developed novel monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) directed at the crucial ectodomain N-glycosylation sites to inhibit the glycosylation- dependent effects of MUC16 on metastasis and invasion. These novel antibodies were characterized in vitro and in vivo studies using various ovarian cancer cell lines. All of the antibodies against the N- glycosylation sites closest to the cell membrane of MUC16 block Galectin-3-mediated polymerization to cell surface signaling molecules and inhibit the tumor-promoting effects of MUC16. The implications are broad: both for the biological understanding of cancer mucin biology and for potential therapeutic strategies.

Citation Format: Dharmarao Thapi, Alberto Fernandez-Tejada, Abraham J. Axelrod, Nestor Rosales, Xiujun Yan, Marina Stasenko, Sahityasri Thapi, Amy Wang, Samuel J. Danishefsky, David R. Spriggs. Novel monoclonal antibodies block N-glycosylation Sites of the MUC16 ectodomain in ovarian carcinoma [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting 2017; 2017 Apr 1-5; Washington, DC. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2017;77(13 Suppl):Abstract nr 5587. doi:10.1158/1538-7445.AM2017-5587