Regulated expression of vascular cell adhesion molecule-1 in human malignant melanoma

Am J Pathol. 1992 Dec;141(6):1323-30.

Abstract

Expression of the endothelial adhesion molecule VCAM-1 was studied in human malignant melanoma lines by flow cytometry. Clones 2/4 and 2/14 (derived from the same lesion) had appreciable levels of VCAM-1 expression, whereas clone 2/21 and the lines A2058, Mel24, and A375 were negative. Clone 2/14 was selected for further analysis. Exposure to tumor necrosis factor (TNF) markedly augmented VCAM-1 on melanoma cells. Surface VCAM-1 was associated with expression of specific transcripts that were augmented by TNF. Analysis by reverse transcriptase and polymerase chain reaction using appropriate primers revealed that TNF-stimulated melanoma cells expressed both 7 and 6 immunoglobulin domain transcripts with predominance of the longer species. Tumor necrosis factor--stimulated melanoma cells bound more VLA-4-expressing cells (melanoma and monocytes) than resting tumor cells and anti-VCAM-1 monoclonal antibodies significantly inhibited binding, thus suggesting that surface VCAM-1 on melanoma is functional. Analysis of melanoma tissue sections demonstrated that VCAM-1 is not a marker of transformation of melanocytes because it can be detected in benign nevi. Although, unlike ICAM-1, VCAM-1 is not correlated with tumor progression, its expression in a fraction of primary melanomas indicates that it may play a role in regulating host immune response and homotypic interactions in some malignant melanomas.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Base Sequence
  • Blotting, Northern
  • Cell Adhesion Molecules / analysis*
  • Cell Adhesion Molecules / genetics
  • Cells, Cultured
  • DNA, Neoplasm / analysis
  • DNA, Neoplasm / genetics
  • Endothelium, Vascular / chemistry
  • Endothelium, Vascular / cytology
  • Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic / genetics
  • Humans
  • Immunohistochemistry
  • Melanoma / chemistry*
  • Melanoma / genetics
  • Molecular Sequence Data
  • Monocytes / chemistry
  • Monocytes / cytology
  • Phagocytes / chemistry
  • Phagocytes / pathology
  • Polymerase Chain Reaction
  • Transcription, Genetic
  • Tumor Cells, Cultured
  • Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / pharmacology
  • Vascular Cell Adhesion Molecule-1

Substances

  • Cell Adhesion Molecules
  • DNA, Neoplasm
  • Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha
  • Vascular Cell Adhesion Molecule-1