A Novel Function of CD82/KAI1 in Sialyl Lewis Antigen-Mediated Adhesion of Cancer Cells: Evidence for an Anti-Metastasis Effect by Down-Regulation of Sialyl Lewis Antigens

PLoS One. 2015 Apr 29;10(4):e0124743. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0124743. eCollection 2015.

Abstract

We have recently elucidated a novel function for CD82 in E-cadherin-mediated homocellular adhesion; due to this function, it can inhibit cancer cell dissociation from the primary cancer nest and limit metastasis. However, the effect of CD82 on selectin ligand-mediated heterocellular adhesion has not yet been elucidated. In this study, we focused on the effects of the metastasis suppressor CD82/KAI1 on heterocellular adhesion of cancer cells to the endothelium of blood vessels in order to further elucidate the function of tetraspanins. The over-expression of CD82 in cancer cells led to the inhibition of experimentally induced lung metastases in mice and significantly inhibited the adhesion of these cells to human umbilical vein epithelial cells (HUVECs) in vitro. Pre-treatment of the cells with function-perturbing antibodies against sLea/x significantly inhibited the adhesion of CD82-negative cells to HUVECs. In addition, cells over-expressing CD82 exhibited reduced expression of sLea/x compared to CD82-negative wild-type cells. Significant down-regulation of ST3 β-galactoside α-2, 3-sialyltransferase 4 (ST3GAL4) was detected by cDNA microarray, real-time PCR, and western blotting analyses. Knockdown of ST3GAL4 on CD82-negative wild-type cells inhibited expression of sLex and reduced cell adhesion to HUVECs. We concluded that CD82 decreases sLea/x expression via the down-regulation of ST3GAL4 expression and thereby reduces the adhesion of cancer cells to blood vessels, which results in inhibition of metastasis.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Antibodies / immunology
  • Cell Adhesion
  • Cell Line, Tumor
  • Cell Movement
  • Down-Regulation*
  • Female
  • Human Umbilical Vein Endothelial Cells
  • Humans
  • Kangai-1 Protein / genetics
  • Kangai-1 Protein / metabolism*
  • Lewis X Antigen / genetics*
  • Lewis X Antigen / immunology
  • Lung Neoplasms / metabolism
  • Lung Neoplasms / pathology*
  • Mice
  • Mice, Inbred BALB C
  • Mice, Nude
  • Oligonucleotide Array Sequence Analysis
  • RNA, Messenger / metabolism
  • RNA, Small Interfering / metabolism
  • Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction
  • Sialyl Lewis X Antigen
  • Sialyltransferases / antagonists & inhibitors
  • Sialyltransferases / genetics
  • Sialyltransferases / metabolism
  • Transplantation, Heterologous
  • beta-Galactoside alpha-2,3-Sialyltransferase

Substances

  • Antibodies
  • Kangai-1 Protein
  • Lewis X Antigen
  • RNA, Messenger
  • RNA, Small Interfering
  • Sialyl Lewis X Antigen
  • Sialyltransferases
  • beta-Galactoside alpha-2,3-Sialyltransferase

Grants and funding

This work was supported by Grants-in-Aid for Scientific Research (KAKEN No. 23390465) from the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science, and Technology of Japan (to T. Sugiura). The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript.