Studies on primary uveal and cutaneous melanoma cell interaction with vitronectin

We have examined the diversity between primary uveal (92-1 and Mel202) and cutaneous (FM55P and IGR-39) melanoma cells in their interaction with vitronectin, and established the effect of integrins and β1,6-branched N-oligosaccharides on this process. The adhesion level of uveal melanoma cells to vitronectin was at least twice lower than that of cutaneous ones, but all cells tested repaired scratch wounds on vitronectin-coated surfaces with similar speed. Swainsonine treatment, by reducing the amount of β1,6-branches, significantly decreased cell attachment in all cases, but reduction of wound healing efficiency was compromised only in cutaneous melanoma cell. Functional blocking antibodies used in adhesion and migration assays revealed that integrin αvβ3 was strongly involved in adhesion and migration only in cutaneous melanoma cells, but its role here was less pronounced than that of integrin αvβ5. However, in uveal melanoma the specific anti-αvβ5 integrin antibody had no impact on migration speed. Therefore, the anti-α3β1 integrin antibody was used in order to explain the nature of uveal melanoma interaction with vitronectin, which caused a mild decrease in adhesion efficiency and reduced their motility. Expression of αvβ5 integrin differed between the cell lines, but there was no distinct pattern to distinguish uveal melanoma from cutaneous melanoma. In conclusion, αvβ5, but not αvβ3 integrin is heavily involved in uveal melanoma cell interaction with vitronectin. The role of β1,6-branched N-glycans in the adhesion, but not during migration, of all cells to vitronectin has been confirmed.