Gicerin, an Ig-superfamily cell adhesion molecule, promotes the invasive and metastatic activities of a mouse fibroblast cell line.
Gicerin is a cell adhesion molecule in the immunoglobulin (Ig) superfamily and plays an important role during development through its adhesive properties. Gicerin has two isoforms that differ in their cytoplasmic domains; s-gicerin is the shorter and l-gicerin the longer form of the protein. Gicerin is over-expressed in some sporadic tumors as well as in developing tissues. To provide direct evidence that gicerin has the potential to participate in malignant aspects of tumor cell behavior, a gicerin cDNA was introduced into L-929 cells, an endogenous gicerin-negative mouse fibroblast and subsequently analyzed for changes in their invasive and metastatic potential by implantation into nude mice and chick embryos. Compared with parental cells, both gicerin isoform transfectants showed an enhanced cell growth and invaded deeply into surrounding tissues from implanted sites in both animal models. Furthermore, l-gicerin transfectants markedly enhanced metastasis to the lung. These findings suggest that gicerin promotes the tumor growth and invasion, and the isoform bearing the longer cytoplasmic domain may play a role in metastasis.
Tsukamoto
Yasuhiro
Y
Department of Veterinary Anatomy, Graduate School of Agricultural and Biological Sciences, Osaka Prefecture University, 1-1 Gakuencho, Sakai, Osaka, Japan. ytsuka@jyui.vet.osakafu-u.ac.jp
Egawa
Michiko
M
Hiroi
Satoshi
S
Furuya
Masaru
M
Tsuchiya
Seiichiro
S
Sasaki
Fumihiko
F
Miki
Naomasa
N
Taira
Eiichi
E
D000818:Animals; D030161:Avian Proteins; D015153:Blotting, Western; D051929:CD146 Antigen; D002352:Carrier Proteins / Q000235:genetics* / Q000502:physiology*; D015815:Cell Adhesion Molecules / Q000235:genetics* / Q000502:physiology*; D002455:Cell Division / Q000502:physiology; D002460:Cell Line; D002642:Chick Embryo; D018076:DNA, Complementary; D005347:Fibroblasts / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000637:transplantation; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D051379:Mice; D009361:Neoplasm Invasiveness; D009362:Neoplasm Metastasis; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D020033:Protein Isoforms / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology; D014162:Transfection
D030161:Avian Proteins; D051929:CD146 Antigen; D002352:Carrier Proteins; D015815:Cell Adhesion Molecules; D018076:DNA, Complementary; C497903:Mcam protein, mouse; D020033:Protein Isoforms; C086935:gicerin protein, Gallus gallus