The laminin alpha-1 chain derived peptide, AG73, increases fibronectin levels in breast and melanoma cancer cells.

Laminin-111 promotes the malignant phenotype, and a 12-mer synthetic peptide (AG73, RKRLQVQLSIRT) from the carboxyl terminus of the alpha1 chain increases B16F10 melanoma metastasis to the lung and liver. Using an antibody array, fibronectin was identified as an up-regulated protein in B16F10 cells after incubation with this peptide. The increased fibronectin is cell-associated with no increase in soluble fibronectin. The AG73 peptide increased the number and size of bone metastases with both B16F10 melanoma and MDA-231 breast carcinoma cells in an intracardiac injection model. Using siRNA transfection, we found that a reduction in fibronectin expression did not reduce bone metastasis in the presence of the metastasis-promoting peptide AG73. We conclude that the laminin peptide AG73 increases metastasis independently of fibronectin expression.

Laminin alpha5 chain metastasis- and angiogenesis-inhibiting peptide blocks fibroblast growth factor 2 activity by binding to the heparan sulfate chains of CD44.

Recently, we reported that the laminin alpha5 synthetic peptide A5G27 (RLVSYNGIIFFLK, residues 2,892-2,904) binds to the CD44 receptor of B16-F10 melanoma cells via the glycosaminoglycans on CD44 and inhibits tumor cell migration, invasion, and angiogenesis in a dominant-negative manner. Here, we have identified the potential mechanism of A5G27 activity using WiDr human colorectal carcinoma cells. WiDr cells bound to the laminin A5G27 peptide via the heparin-like and chondroitin sulfate B glycosaminoglycan side chains of CD44. Cell binding to fibroblast growth factor (FGF2) was blocked by laminin peptide A5G27 but not by either a scrambled version of this peptide or by another laminin peptide known to bind cell surface proteoglycans. FGF2 signaling involving tyrosine phosphorylation was also blocked by laminin peptide A5G27 but was not affected by peptide controls. Finally, we have shown that peptide A5G27 directly blocks FGF2 binding to heparin. Peptide A5G27 has sequence homology to a region on FGF2 that binds heparin and the FGF receptor and is important in FGF2 central cavity formation. We conclude that peptide A5G27 inhibits metastasis and angiogenesis by blocking FGF2 binding to the heparan sulfate side chains of CD44 variant 3, thus decreasing FGF2 bioactivity.

Endogenous osteonectin/SPARC/BM-40 expression inhibits MDA-MB-231 breast cancer cell metastasis.

Skeletal metastases occur with high incidence in patients with breast cancer and cause long-term skeletal morbidity. Osteonectin (SPARC, BM-40) is a bone matrix factor that is an in vitro chemoattractant for breast and prostate cancer cells. Increased expression of osteonectin is found in malignant breast tumors. We infected MDA-231 breast cancer cells with an adenovirus expressing osteonectin to examine the role of osteonectin expression in breast cancer cells and its effect on metastasis, in particular to bone. Expression of osteonectin did not affect MDA-231 cell proliferation, apoptosis, migration, cell aggregation, or protease cleavage of collagen IV. However, in vitro invasion of these osteonectin-infected cells through Matrigel and colony formation on Matrigel was decreased. Interestingly, high osteonectin expression in MDA-231 cells inhibited metastasis in a dose-dependent manner to many different organs including bone. The reduction in metastasis may be due to decreased platelet-tumor cell aggregation, because exogenous osteonectin inhibited platelet aggregation in vitro and the high osteonectin expression in MDA-231 cells reduced tumor cell-induced thrombocytopenia in vivo compared with control-infected cells. These studies suggest that high endogenous expression of osteonectin in breast cancer cells may reduce metastasis via reduced invasive activity and reduced tumor cell-platelet aggregation.

The B16F10 cell receptor for a metastasis-promoting site on laminin-1 is a heparan sulfate/chondroitin sulfate-containing proteoglycan.

Exposure to AG73, a synthetic peptide (LQVQLSIR) from the COOH-terminal region of the laminin alpha1 chain, induces a malignant phenotype in B16F10 melanoma cells. Coinjection of this peptide with the cells results in an increase of lung tumors and also the formation of liver tumors in approximately 50% of the mice (W. H. Kim et al., Int. J. Cancer, 77: 632-639, 1998). Here we have characterized the cell surface receptor and its functional groups on B16F10 cells. Peptide affinity chromatography identified a cell surface protein eluting with 1 M NaCl, which ran in SDS gels as a broad band of M(r) approximately 150,000-200,000. Digestion with heparitinase and chondroitinase produced a core protein of lower molecular weight (M(r) approximately 90,000). Involvement of the glycosaminoglycan (GAG) side chains was demonstrated by inhibition of cell binding to the peptide by heparin, heparan sulfate, and chondroitin sulfate B, but not by chondroitin sulfates A or C, or hyaluronic acid. The IC(50) for heparin was the lowest, followed by heparan sulfate, then chondroitin sulfate B, suggesting that the overall sulfation of the GAG side chain is critical. This was confirmed by inhibition of attachment with chemically modified heparin and heparan sulfate, which also showed that N or O linkages were not important for function. Using sized heparin fragments to inhibit cell binding to the peptide demonstrated that 16-mer is the minimum length required. B16F10 cells form a network when grown on Matrigel, and this is prevented by addition of the AG73 peptide. The GAGs alone did not affect network formation, but heparin, heparan sulfate, and chondroitin sulfate B reversed the inhibitory effect of the peptide, whereas other GAGs were inactive. Furthermore, removal of cell surface GAGs inhibited cell attachment to the peptide. Cells treated with glycosidases and coinjected with the peptide formed liver tumors equal to the control group receiving no peptide, suggesting that the GAGs play an early role in peptide-mediated tumor metastasis. These data indicate that the B16F10 cell receptor for a laminin metastasis-promoting sequence is a heparan sulfate/chondroitin sulfate-containing proteoglycan, and these GAG side chains are functionally important in the cell-peptide interaction.

Identification of an active site on the laminin alpha5 chain globular domain that binds to CD44 and inhibits malignancy.

The laminin alpha5 chain is a component of laminin-10 (alpha5beta1gamma1) and -11 (alpha5beta2gamma1). In this study, we have screened 113 overlapping synthetic peptides from the laminin alpha5 globular domain (G-domain) for cell attachment activity with B16-F10 cells using peptide-coated dishes. Eleven attachment-active peptides were identified. In vivo experimental B16-F10 pulmonary metastasis and primary tumor growth assays found that 4 of the 11 peptides inhibited tumor metastasis and growth and increased apoptosis. These four peptides also blocked tumor cell migration, invasion, and angiogenesis. Two of the peptides were highly homologous and showed significant similarity to sequences in collagens. We sought to identify the B16-F10 cell surface receptors for each of the four active peptides using peptide affinity chromatography. Only one peptide recognized a cell surface protein. Peptide A5G27 (RLVSYNGIIFFLK, residues 2892-2904) bound a diffuse M(r) approximately 120,000-180,000 band that eluted with 2 m NaCl. Glycosidase digestion of the 2 m eluate yielded protein bands of M(r) 90,000 and 60,000 that reacted in Western blot analysis with antibodies to CD44. Immunoprecipitation of the A5G27-bound membrane proteins with various cell surface proteoglycan antibodies confirmed CD44 as the surface receptor for A5G27. Finally, attachment assays to A5G27 in the presence of soluble glycosaminoglycans (GAGs) identified the GAGs of CD44 as the binding sites for A5G27. Our results suggest that A5G27 binds to the CD44 receptor of B16-F10 melanoma cells via the GAGs on CD44 and, thus, inhibits tumor cell migration, invasion, and angiogenesis in a dominant-negative manner.

Development of dimethandrolone 17beta-undecanoate (DMAU) as an oral male hormonal contraceptive: induction of infertility and recovery of fertility in adult male rabbits.

Dimethandrolone undecanoate (DMAU: 7α,11ß-dimethyl-19-nortestosterone 17ß-undecanoate) is a potent orally active androgen with progestational activity that is in development for therapeutic uses in men. We hypothesized that because of its dual activity, DMAU might have potential as a single-agent oral hormonal contraceptive. To test this possibility, adult male rabbits (5/group) of proven fertility were treated orally with vehicle or DMAU at 1.0, 2.5, 5.0, or 10.0 mg/kg/d for 12 or 13 weeks. Semen and blood samples were collected every other week through week 30. Sperm were decreased (P < .05) in semen samples from DMAU-treated rabbits at 2.5 and 5.0 mg/kg/d at weeks 12, 14, 16, 18, and 20 compared to week 0 (prior to treatment). The percentage of forward progressive motile sperm in those rabbits that still had measurable sperm was also reduced by DMAU treatment at 2.5 mg/kg/d at weeks 14, 16, 18, and 20 and at 5.0 mg/kg/d at week 18 (P < .05). At 1.0 mg/kg/d only 1 rabbit had reduced sperm numbers and motility. A mating trial was performed at week 15. The number of bred males that were fertile was 4 of 4 in the vehicle-treated group and 4 of 5, 0 of 4, and 2 of 5 in the 1.0, 2.5, and 5.0 mg/kg/d DMAU treatment groups. By week 22, sperm numbers and forward progressive motility increased, and they returned to pretreatment levels in all DMAU-treated rabbits by week 30. All bred males were fertile at week 31. Serum levels of testosterone, follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH), and luteinizing hormone (LH) were significantly suppressed in DMAU (1.0, 2.5, or 5.0 mg/kg/d)-treated rabbits during the 12-week dosing interval, but were comparable to pretreatment levels after cessation of dosing. These data indicate that DMAU suppressed the hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal axis, resulting in severe oligospermia in the majority of rabbits in the 2.5 and 5.0 mg/kg/d dosing groups. Infertility was observed when sperm numbers decreased to about 10% of pretreatment levels. In rabbits dosed with DMAU at 10.0 mg/kg/d, no effect on sperm numbers or motility was observed by week 12. Dosing continued for another week, and the rabbits underwent a gross necropsy on week 13 with removal of testes and epididymides for histology and preparation of testicular cytosol. Serum testosterone, FSH, and LH levels were considerably suppressed in these rabbits as in the lower-dose groups. The lack of oligospermia in the 10.0 mg/kg group as well as in the 2 fertile males in the 5.0 mg/kg group may have been due to high intratesticular levels of 7α,11ß-dimethyl-19-nortestosterone, the active metabolite of DMAU. Hence, as observed previously for testosterone, DMAU has a biphasic effect on spermatogenesis. Collectively, these data indicate that DMAU has the potential to be an orally active single-agent male hormonal contraceptive at an appropriate dose level and should be tested for contraceptive efficacy in nonhuman primates.

The potent synthetic androgens, dimethandrolone (7α,11ß-dimethyl-19-nortestosterone) and 11ß-methyl-19-nortestosterone, do not require 5α-reduction to exert their maximal androgenic effects.

Dimethandrolone (DMA: 7α,11ß-dimethyl-19-nortestosterone) and 11ß-methyl-19-nortestosterone (MNT) are potent androgens in development for hormonal therapy in men. As 5α-reduced androgens, such as 5α-dihydrotestosterone (DHT), may raise the risk of benign prostate hyperplasia, accelerate the development of prostate carcinoma, and increase male pattern baldness and acne, we investigated the role of 5α-reduction in the androgenic activity of DMA and MNT. The authentic 5α-reduced metabolites, 5α-dihydroDMA (5α-DHDMA) and 5α-dihydroMNT (5α-DHMNT), were prepared by chemical synthesis and compared in vitro and in vivo to the parent compounds. Both 5α-reduced androgens bound with high affinity to the rat androgen receptor (AR) and were potent inducers of transactivation of 3XHRE-LUC in CV-1 cells cotransfected with a human AR expression plasmid. To examine in vivo androgenic (stimulation of ventral prostate [VP] and seminal vesicle [SV] weights) and anabolic (stimulation of levator ani [LA] muscle weights) activity, 22-day-old castrate male rats were treated sc for 7 days with various doses of DMA, 5α-DHDMA, or testosterone (T) or MNT, 5α-DHMNT, or T and necropsied on day 8. 5α-DHDMA was at least threefold more potent than T in stimulating growth of the VP but only 30-40% as potent as DMA. 5α-DHMNT was four- to eightfold more potent than T, whereas MNT was approximately equipotent to T. To assess the possible role of 5α-reduction in VP and SV growth, castrate immature rats were treated with maximally effective doses of T, DHT, DMA, MNT, or the related 19-norandrogen, 7α-methyl-19-nortestosterone (MENT), or vehicle, with or without dutasteride (DUT), an inhibitor of 5α-reductases types 1 and 2. In rats treated with T+DUT, serum T was significantly higher (P<0.05) than in rats treated with T alone, and serum DHT was decreased (P<0.001) to levels observed in castrate vehicle-treated rats. DUT significantly reduced both VP and SV weights in T-treated rats, whereas there was no significant effect of DUT on weights of these accessory sex glands in rats treated with DMA, MNT, DHT, or MENT. These results indicate that inhibition of 5α-reductase activity in vivo does not affect the androgenic potency of DMA, MNT, or MENT.

Angiotropism of human melanoma: studies involving in transit and other cutaneous metastases and the chicken chorioallantoic membrane: implications for extravascular melanoma invasion and metastasis.

Melanoma cell migration along the outside of vessels has been termed "extravascular migratory metastasis" (EVMM), as distinct from intravascular dissemination. Previous studies in both human and experimental melanoma models have shown angiotropism of melanoma cells, suggesting EVMM. Our objectives are to study the mechanism of dissemination of human melanoma cells in the chick chorioallantoic membrane (CAM) and to compare the histopathology in the CAM with that of patients with in transit and other cutaneous melanoma metastases. Human and murine melanoma cells were inoculated onto the CAM and observed over a 10-day period for tumor dissemination. Both human melanoma specimens from 26 patients and melanoma cells growing on the CAM showed the presence of tumor cell angiotropism at the invasive front of the tumor and at some distance from the tumor mass. In addition, a clear progression of melanoma cells spreading on the CAM was observed along the abluminal surface of vessels, where they occupied a perivascular location. By day 10 after injection, small micrometastases had developed along vessels, in a pattern similar to that in transit and other cutaneous melanoma metastases. In addition, the results suggested that the number of micrometastases directly correlated with increasing tumor volume. Taken together, these data suggest that the CAM is a relevant model for studying tumor cell dissemination, and that EVMM may be a mechanism by which some melanoma cells spread to nearby and even distant sites.

The basement membrane matrix in malignancy.

Cancer is the second most common cause of death among Americans, although for several age groups it ranks first. Most of these deaths are not due to the primary tumour but rather to tumour cell metastases to distant organs. There are many steps that lead to metastasis, all of which are being studied with the goal of preventing these fatalities. Normally, cells attach to the extracellular matrix to maintain tissue integrity. During cancer progression, cells become more motile and acquire invasive qualities. Tumour cells move along blood and lymph vessels or invade into them to travel to distant sites. Then, the tumour cells must attach to the vessel wall, extravasate from the vessel, invade the new tissue, proliferate, and form a secondary tumour. Angiogenesis, the formation of new blood vessels, is critical to survival of these cells at the new site and is also important for primary tumour growth and spread. Tumour cell metastasis is a complex cascade of sequential steps, each of which is not yet fully understood. Progress has been made in identifying several key activators, one of which is the extracellular matrix. A major tumour promoter is the glycoprotein laminin, which is predominantly found in the extracellular matrix produced by endothelial and epithelial cells. This review will follow the metastatic process with particular attention to the effect of laminin on tumour cells.

Pericyte-like location of GFP-tagged melanoma cells: ex vivo and in vivo studies of extravascular migratory metastasis.

Previous studies have demonstrated that some tumor cells occupy a pericyte-like location in melanoma, forming angio-tumoral complexes. We hypothesized that these tumor cells are migrating along the abluminal surface of the endothelium, a mechanism termed "extravascular migratory metastasis." In the present study, we have used human and murine melanoma cells that stably express enhanced green fluorescence protein (GFP) to examine, in an ex vivo co-culture model, melanoma cell interactions with vessels that have sprouted from rat aortic rings. We also used in vivo tumor growth on the chick chorioallantoic membrane (CAM) to observe the dissemination pathway of melanoma cells. In the ex vivo rat aorta system, we observed a pericyte-like location of tumor cells that were spreading along the vascular channels. For examination of the CAM in vivo, we have used the Lugassy preparation, allowing one to obtain striking images of the relationship between fluorescent GFP cells and microvessels. Melanoma cells were found cuffing the outside of vessels around the tumor. Tumor cells were observed along the vessels several centimeters from the tumor. Confocal microscopy and histopathology confirmed the pericyte-like location of tumor cells, without any observable intravasation. The results indicate that melanoma cells can migrate along the abluminal surface of vessels. This study also demonstrates that these models can provide quantitation analysis that may prove useful in elucidating the molecular interactions involved in extravascular migratory metastasis.