Inhibitory effect of antibodies against the cell adhesion molecule gicerin on gastric cancer progression

Gicerin is a member of the immunoglobulin superfamily, which functions as a cell adhesion molecule that is expressed in developing and regenerating tissues, as well as in various types of tumors. In malignant neoplasms, gicerin has been implicated in promoting cellular invasion and metastasis. The present study aimed to investigate whether or not anti‑gicerin antibodies could inhibit the progression of the human gastric cancer cell line NUGC‑4 in a murine model. First, immunofluorescence staining was employed to confirm gicerin expression in the NUGC‑4 cells. The cells were subsequently pretreated with either anti‑gicerin antibodies or pre‑immune IgG and transplanted subcutaneously into nude mice, where the extent of tumor growth and local invasion were both assessed. In a separate hematogenous metastasis model, mice received a tail‑vein injection of NUGC‑4 cells pretreated in an identical manner and pulmonary metastases were evaluated. Anti‑gicerin antibody pretreatment led to a significant suppression of subcutaneous tumor formation, histological invasiveness and lung nodule formation compared with the controls. Taken together, these findings suggested that the antibody‑mediated inhibition of gicerin reduced both local tumor progression and hematogenous spread in gastric cancer, highlighting gicerin as a promising therapeutic target that potentially may be effective when used in combination with conventional chemotherapy.