Prostaglandin E2 down-regulates the expression of HLA-DR antigen in human colon adenocarcinoma cell lines.
Prostaglandins (PG) have been implicated in the pathogenesis of cancer and play an important role in immune regulation. Colon cancer is associated with elevated levels of PGE2, while aspirin, the prototypical inhibitor of PG synthesis, appears to reduce the incidence of colon cancer by 50%. We have observed that in human colon cancer the expression of HLA class I and II antigens is reduced or lost; loss of HLA antigens is suspected to be a mechanism by which the malignant cell escapes the immune surveillance. We investigated the effect of these eicosanoids on the expression of HLA antigens in human colon adenocarcinoma cell lines. PGE2 down-regulated the expression of the class II antigen HLA-DR in SW1116 cells (65% reduction at 2.8 x 10(-8) M). This effect was dose- and time-dependent, reversible, and specific (PGF2 alpha and LTB4 had no effect; the expression of carcinoembryonic antigen and class I genes were not affected). Aspirin induced the expression of HLA-DR in HT29 cells, a cell line not expressing constitutively HLA-DR. The reduction of HLA-DR by PGE2 was accompanied by reduced messenger RNA (mRNA) levels of HLA-DR alpha and reduced transcription of the corresponding gene. In contrast to HLA-DR, none of these three eicosanoids affected the expression of HLA class I genes, as assessed via determination of protein expression by fluorescence flow cytometric analysis and evaluation of the corresponding class I mRNA levels. We conclude that PGE2 specifically down-regulates the expression of HLA-DR, while it does not affect the expression of class I antigens.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
Arvind
P
P
Department of Medicine, Cornell University Medical College, New York, New York 10021, USA.
Papavassiliou
E D
ED
Tsioulias
G J
GJ
Qiao
L
L
Lovelace
C I
CI
Duceman
B
B
Rigas
B
B
D000230:Adenocarcinoma; D001241:Aspirin / Q000494:pharmacology; D001483:Base Sequence; D002460:Cell Line; D003110:Colonic Neoplasms; D017931:DNA Primers; D015237:Dinoprost / Q000494:pharmacology; D015232:Dinoprostone / Q000494:pharmacology*; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D015972:Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic / Q000187:drug effects*; D006684:HLA-DR Antigens / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D006801:Humans; D007975:Leukotriene B4 / Q000494:pharmacology; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000032:analysis / Q000096:biosynthesis; D014407:Tumor Cells, Cultured
D017931:DNA Primers; D006684:HLA-DR Antigens; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D007975:Leukotriene B4; D015237:Dinoprost; D015232:Dinoprostone; D001241:Aspirin