title: Antisense oligodeoxynucleotides for urokinase-plasminogen activator receptor have anti-invasive and anti-proliferative effects in vitro and inhibit spontaneous metastases of human melanoma in mice.
abstract: We have targeted the urokinase-type plasminogen activator receptor (uPAR) with phosphorothioate antisense oligonucleotides (aODN) in vitro to evaluate the anti-invasive and anti-proliferative effects of uPAR down-regulation, as well as in vivo to evaluate anti-tumor and anti-metastatic activity. aODN-dependent uPAR downregulation in vitro was induced in cells of human melanoma, mammary carcinoma, ovarian carcinoma and SV-40-transformed embryonic lung fibroblasts. uPAR was determined by an antibody-based assay and by semiquantitative polymerase chain reaction. Cell invasion was evaluated by Matrigel invasion assay and cell proliferation by direct cell counting. aODN reduced uPAR, invasion and proliferation in all the treated cell lines. Following aODN treatment, human melanoma cells exhibited a strong decrease of uPAR-dependent ERK1/2 activation and were used in vivo to control metastasis in CD-1 male nude (nu/nu) mice by uPAR aODN injection. 60 mice were injected in the hind leg muscles with a suspension of 10(6) melanoma cells. After 4 days, when a tumor mass of about 350 mg was evident in all the mice injected, 20 mice were treated i.v. with aODN and 20 with dODN at 0.5 mg/day for 5 consecutive days. Twenty control mice were not treated. A second and third cycle of treatment was administered at 2-day intervals. Treatment with aODN resulted into a 78% reduction of lung metastases and 45% reduction of the primary tumor mass with no loss of body weight. Our results suggest to evaluate the utility of uPAR aODN in controlling the metastatic spreading of human melanoma.
authors.affiliation: Department of Experimental Pathology and Oncology, University of Florence, Viale G.B. Morgagni 50, 50134 Florence, Italy.
authors.forename: Silvia
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: D'Alessio
authors.forename: Francesca
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Margheri
authors.forename: Marco
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Pucci
authors.forename: Angela
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Del Rosso
authors.forename: Brett P
authors.initials: BP
authors.lastname: Monia
authors.forename: Mauro
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Bologna
authors.forename: Carlo
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Leonetti
authors.forename: Marco
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Scarsella
authors.forename: Gabriella
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Zupi
authors.forename: Gabriella
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Fibbi
authors.forename: Mario
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Del Rosso
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002455:Cell Division / Q000187:drug effects; D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D005342:Fibrinolysis; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008545:Melanoma / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology / Q000556:secondary; D051379:Mice; D020928:Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases / Q000378:metabolism; D009361:Neoplasm Invasiveness; D020319:Oligodeoxyribonucleotides, Antisense / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000032:analysis; D011956:Receptors, Cell Surface / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors* / Q000235:genetics; D055293:Receptors, Urokinase Plasminogen Activator
chemical_list: D020319:Oligodeoxyribonucleotides, Antisense; C524898:PLAUR protein, human; C524899:Plaur protein, mouse; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D011956:Receptors, Cell Surface; D055293:Receptors, Urokinase Plasminogen Activator; D020928:Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases