Cell-dependent regulation of vasculogenic mimicry by carcinoembryonic antigen cell adhesion molecule 1 (CEACAM1)

Vasculogenic mimicry (VM) promotes tumor migration, metastasis, and invasion in various types of cancer, but the relationship between VM and these phenotypes remains undefined. In this study, we examined carcinoembryonic antigen cell adhesion molecule 1 (CEACAM1) as a novel target of VM. We found that ectopic expression of CEACAM1 in HT1080 human fibrosarcoma cells suppressed the formation of a VM-like network. Further, cell migration and proliferation were abated by the introduction of CEACAM1 into HT1080 cells. Conversely, knockout (KO) of the CEACAM1 gene in SK-MEL-28 melanoma cells, which normally express high levels of CEACAM1, inhibited formation of a VM-like network, which was covered on reintroduction of CEACAM1. These results suggest that CEACAM1 differentially regulates formation of the VM-like network between cancer cell types and implicate CEACAM1 as a novel therapeutic target in malignant cancer.