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Integrin expression and usage by prostate cancer cell lines on laminin substrata
M Edlund1, T Miyamoto, R A Sikes
1Department of Urology, University of Virginia Health System, Charlottesville 22908-0422, USA.
Cell Growth & Differentiation : the Molecular Biology Journal of the American Association for Cancer Research
|March 13, 2001
Summary
Prostate cancer cells change how they use integrins as the disease progresses. More metastatic cells specifically use alphavbeta3 and alter alpha6 heterodimerization, impacting interactions with bone metastasis sites.
Area of Science:
- Oncology
- Cell Biology
- Biochemistry
Background:
- Prostate cancer progression involves epithelial cells invading beyond the basement membrane.
- Extracellular matrix (ECM) and stromal factors regulate prostate cell behavior in normal and malignant tissues.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate cell interactions with ECM and stromal factors during prostate cancer progression.
- To characterize integrin usage and expression in LNCaP prostate cancer cell lines.
Main Methods:
- Utilized a series of parental and lineage-derived LNCaP human prostate cancer cell lines.
- Assessed integrin expression and heterodimer usage to understand cell-ECM interactions.
Main Results:
- Minimal changes in overall integrin expression were observed during disease progression.
- Significant alterations in integrin heterodimer usage were detected in more metastatic sublines.
- Metastatic sublines showed distinct usage of alphavbeta3 integrin.
- A shift in alpha6 heterodimerization was noted in metastatic cells compared to parental LNCaP cells.
Conclusions:
- Integrin heterodimer usage, rather than expression levels, is a key indicator of prostate cancer progression and metastatic potential.
- Altered integrin profiles, particularly alphavbeta3 and alpha6 heterodimers, may facilitate prostate cancer cell interactions with the bone matrix, a common site for metastasis.
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Laminins are heterotrimeric proteins with high molecular mass found in the extracellular matrix. Each laminin molecule is composed of three chains, viz. alpha, beta, and gamma, coded by five, four, and three paralogous genes, respectively. Laminins are categories based on the compositions of the three chains.
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