CD44v10: an antimetastatic membrane glycoprotein for pancreatic cancer.
OBJECTIVE
The aims of this study were 1) to investigate the mRNA pattern of CD44 variants in three primary (MIA PaCa 2, PANC-1, PSN-1) and two metastatic (CAPAN-1, SUIT-2) pancreatic cancer (PC) cell lines; 2) to ascertain whether the genetic transfer of CD44s and CD44v10 modifies the adhesion of PC cells to the extracellular matrix (ECM) in vitro and their metastatic behavior in vivo.


METHODS
CD44 mRNA analysis was done by means of RT-PCR. Adhesion to ECM the was assessed using coated microtiter plates. For the study of CD44v10 insertion in the CAPAN-1 line, liposome-mediated DNA transfer was used. SCID mice were employed for in vivo experiments.


RESULTS
CD44v10 mRNA was not expressed by the CAPAN-1 nor by four of the six SUIT-2-derived clones. The stable expression of CD44v10 by modified CAPAN-1 significantly enhanced fibronectin adhesion. Mice without either liver or pancreatic metastases were more frequently found among the animals injected with modified (CD44v10 expressing) than with non-modified CAPAN-1.


CONCLUSIONS
1) It is possible to differentiate between metastatic and non-metastatic PC cells on the basis of CD44v10 expression; 2) CD44v10 seems to be involved in mediating fibronectin adhesion in vitro and in counteracting metastases in vivo.
Navaglia
F
F
Department of Laboratory Medicine, University of Padua, Padua, Italy.
Fogar
P
P
Greco
E
E
Basso
D
D
Stefani
A L
AL
Mazza
S
S
Zambon
C F
CF
Habeler
W
W
Altavilla
G
G
Amadori
A
A
Cecchetto
A
A
Plebani
M
M
D000818:Animals; D002448:Cell Adhesion; D005260:Female; D005353:Fibronectins / Q000502:physiology; D006801:Humans; D018960:Hyaluronan Receptors / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology*; D051379:Mice; D016513:Mice, SCID; D009361:Neoplasm Invasiveness; D009362:Neoplasm Metastasis / Q000517:prevention & control*; D010190:Pancreatic Neoplasms / Q000737:chemistry / Q000473:pathology*; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000032:analysis; D014407:Tumor Cells, Cultured
C117722:CD44v10 antigen; D005353:Fibronectins; D018960:Hyaluronan Receptors; D012333:RNA, Messenger