Transendothelial migration of two metastatic breast carcinoma cells depend on the SDF-lalpha-CXCR4 complexes

The role of the SDF-1alpha chemokine-CXCR4 receptor system on tumor cell transendothelial migration was studied by culturing metastatic breast tumor cell lines, MDA-MB-231 and MDA-MB-435, either alone or on a HUVEC monolayer pre-established on a "Transwell" filter. After a 24-hour culture in the presence or absence of SDF-1alpha, tumor cell transmigration rates were compared. We showed that: CXCR4 is present on both cell lines; MDA-MB-231 but not MDA-MB-435 cell migration is stimulated by increasing concentrations of SDF-1alpha; neutralizing anti-CXCR4 antibody inhibits the SDF-1alpha chemoattractant effect; CXCR4 expression, measured by cytofluorometry, was enhanced after treatment with SDF-1alpha on MDA-MB-231 cells but remained unchanged on MDA-MB-435 cells; Scatchard analysis evidences 8.10(5) and 2.10(5) high affinity sites (KD range: 20 to 30 nM) on, respectively, MDA-MB-231 and MDA-MB-435 cells. These significant differences could explain the distinctive transendothelial migration responses of these two cell lines in the presence of SDF-1alpha.