Dexamethasone up-regulates cadherin expression and cohesion of HT-1080 human fibrosarcoma cells.
The synthetic glucocorticoid dexamethasone markedly decreases the invasiveness of HT-1080 human fibrosarcoma cells. We show here that dexamethasone treatment of HT-1080 cell aggregates more than doubles their cohesivity from 3.9 to 9.7 dyne/cm. Western blot analysis shows a corresponding increase in cadherin expression. This was accompanied by an increase in the rate of calcium-dependent aggregation. Dexamethasone-treated aggregates spread to form a monolayer in Matrigel spreading assays, but the cells remained much more contiguous than their untreated counterparts. Invasion-suppression by dexamethasone may therefore be due, at least in part, to a previously unsuspected increase in cadherin-mediated cohesion.
Department of Molecular Biology, Princeton University, New Jersey 08544, USA. fotyra@rwja.umdnj.edu
R A
RA
Foty
S A
SA
Corbett
J E
JE
Schwarzbauer
M S
MS
Steinberg
D018931:Antineoplastic Agents, Hormonal / Q000494:pharmacology*; D015820:Cadherins / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism; D002118:Calcium / Q000494:pharmacology; D002448:Cell Adhesion / Q000187:drug effects*; D003094:Collagen; D003907:Dexamethasone / Q000494:pharmacology*; D004338:Drug Combinations; D005354:Fibrosarcoma / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D006801:Humans; D007797:Laminin; D009361:Neoplasm Invasiveness; D009363:Neoplasm Proteins / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism; D011509:Proteoglycans; D014407:Tumor Cells, Cultured / Q000187:drug effects; D015854:Up-Regulation
D018931:Antineoplastic Agents, Hormonal; D015820:Cadherins; D004338:Drug Combinations; D007797:Laminin; D009363:Neoplasm Proteins; D011509:Proteoglycans; C059485:matrigel; D003907:Dexamethasone; D003094:Collagen; D002118:Calcium