Upregulated CD44v9 expression inhibits the invasion of oral squamous cell carcinoma cells.
OBJECTIVE
CD44 is one of the cell surface molecules that play an important role in cancer metastasis. In oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC), the downregulation of CD44v9 has been shown to be associated with tumor metastasis. We found that treatment with an anti-CD44v9 antibody enhanced the invasive potential of OSCC cell lines. Based on previous studies and our results, reduced expression of CD44v9 may be correlated with an increased invasive potential, i.e. the overexpression of CD44v9 may inhibit the invasive activity of OSCC cells.


METHODS
To study this correlation, we transfected the CD44v9 gene into HSC-4 cells with low CD44v9 expression and examined their invasive potential using the cell culture invasion assay and a three-dimensional culture invasion assay.


RESULTS
Overexpression of CD44v9 resulted in a downregulation of the invasive potential of HSC-4 cells. Moreover, CD44v9-transfected cells did not invade reorganized stroma, while parent HSC-4 cells exhibited diffuse invasion into reorganized stroma by the three-dimensional culture invasion assay.


CONCLUSIONS
Overall, these findings suggest that the inhibition of the invasive potential by upregulation of CD44v9 expression may be due to enhanced cell-cell adhesion. In our opinion, the upregulation of CD44v9 may be a target for future cancer treatment.
Sato
Sunao
S
Department of Oral Maxillofacial Pathobiology, Division of Frontier Medical Science, Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, Hiroshima University, Hiroshima, Japan.
Miyauchi
Mutsumi
M
Kato
Mitsuyasu
M
Kitajima
Shojiro
S
Kitagawa
Shoji
S
Hiraoka
Masae
M
Kudo
Yasusei
Y
Ogawa
Ikuko
I
Takata
Takashi
T
D015153:Blotting, Western; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology*; D002448:Cell Adhesion; D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D015972:Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic; D006801:Humans; D018960:Hyaluronan Receptors / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D009062:Mouth Neoplasms / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology*; D009361:Neoplasm Invasiveness; D014162:Transfection; D015854:Up-Regulation
C448906:CD44v9 antigen; D018960:Hyaluronan Receptors