title: Effects of natural complex carbohydrate (citrus pectin) on murine melanoma cell properties related to galectin-3 functions.
abstract: Citrus pectin (CP) and pH-modified citrus pectin (MCP) are highly branched and non-branched complex polysaccharides, respectively, rich in galactoside residues, capable of combining with the carbohydrate-binding domain of galectin-3. We reported previously that intravenous injection of B16-F1 murine melanoma cells with CP or MCP into syngeneic mice resulted in a significant increase or decrease of lung colonization, respectively (Platt D, Raz A (1992) J Natl Cancer Inst 84:438-42). Here we studied the effects of these polysaccharides on cell-cell and cell-matrix interactions mediated by carbohydrate-recognition. MCP, but not CP, inhibited B16-F1 melanoma cells adhesion to laminin and asialofetuin-induced homotypic aggregation. Both polysaccharides inhibited anchorage-independent growth of B16-F1 cells in semisolid medium, i.e. agarose. These results indicate that carbohydrate-recognition by cell surface galectin-3 may be involved in cell-extracellular matrix interaction and play a role in anchorage-independent growth as well as the in vivo embolization of tumour cells.
authors.affiliation: Cancer Metastasis Program, Michigan Cancer Foundation, Detroit 48201.
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Inohara
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Raz
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000943:Antigens, Differentiation / Q000378:metabolism*; D002448:Cell Adhesion / Q000187:drug effects; D002455:Cell Division / Q000187:drug effects; D002957:Citrus / Q000737:chemistry; D037502:Galectin 3; D007797:Laminin / Q000378:metabolism; D008546:Melanoma, Experimental / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D051379:Mice; D010368:Pectins / Q000494:pharmacology*; D014407:Tumor Cells, Cultured
chemical_list: D000943:Antigens, Differentiation; D037502:Galectin 3; D007797:Laminin; D010368:Pectins