title: Expression level of neural cell adhesion molecule (NCAM) inversely correlates with the ability of neuroblastoma cells to adhere to endothelium in vitro.
abstract: The precise function of cell adhesion molecules in the hematogenous phase of neuroblastoma metastasis is poorly understood. The aim of this study was to investigate whether neural cell adhesion molecule (NCAM) modulates neuroblastoma cell (NB) adhesion and transendothelial penetration in a coculture model. Our data, assessed on 11 NB cell lines, demonstrate an inverse correlation between NCAM expression and NB cell adhesion. Transfection of the NB cell line UKF-NB-4 with a cDNA encoding the human NCAM-140 kD isoform enhanced NCAM expression and the amount of tumor cell aggregates, reduced the amount of single tumor cells, and diminished initial NB cell adhesion to an endothelial cell monolayer. Treatment of UKF-NB-4 with NCAM antisense oligonucleotides reduced NCAM surface level, increased the number of single tumor cells, and induced up-regulation of NB cell adhesion to endothelium. Modulation of NCAM expression had no effect on transendothelial penetration. Fluorescence analysis revealed a down-regulation of NCAM in single tumor cells, prior to NB adhesion. The data support the view that low levels of NCAM are necessary for NB cells to leave a tumor cell aggregate and adhere to endothelial cells.
authors.affiliation: Zentrum der Hygiene, Institut für Medizinische Virologie, Klinikum der J. W Goethe-Universität, Frankfurt am Main, Germany.
authors.forename: Roman A
authors.initials: RA
authors.lastname: Blaheta
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Hundemer
authors.forename: Gottfried
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Mayer
authors.forename: Jens-Uwe
authors.initials: JU
authors.lastname: Vogel
authors.forename: Bernhard
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Kornhuber
authors.forename: Jaroslav
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Cinatl
authors.forename: Bernd H
authors.initials: BH
authors.lastname: Markus
authors.forename: Pablo Hernáiz
authors.initials: PH
authors.lastname: Driever
authors.forename: Jindrich
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Cinatl
mesh_terms: D000276:Adjuvants, Immunologic / Q000494:pharmacology; D002448:Cell Adhesion; D002455:Cell Division; D002462:Cell Membrane; D018920:Coculture Techniques; D015536:Down-Regulation; D004730:Endothelium, Vascular / Q000378:metabolism*; D005456:Fluorescent Dyes; D006801:Humans; D007700:Kinetics; D019006:Neural Cell Adhesion Molecules / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D009447:Neuroblastoma / Q000378:metabolism*; D016376:Oligonucleotides, Antisense / Q000494:pharmacology; D014162:Transfection; D014407:Tumor Cells, Cultured; D014471:Umbilical Veins
chemical_list: D000276:Adjuvants, Immunologic; D005456:Fluorescent Dyes; D019006:Neural Cell Adhesion Molecules; D016376:Oligonucleotides, Antisense