title: Parallel expression of alphaIIbbeta3 and alphavbeta3 integrins in human melanoma cells upregulates bFGF expression and promotes their angiogenic phenotype.
abstract: Previous studies indicated that transfection of the platelet integrin alphaIIbbeta3 into human melanoma cells expressing integrin alphavbeta3 promoted their in vivo (but not in vitro) growth and cell survival. To reveal the underlying pathomechanism, we have analyzed the angiogenic phenotype of alphaIIbbeta3 integrin-transduced human melanoma cells expressing integrin alphavbeta3. Upon heterotopic or orthotopic (intracutaneous) injections into SCID mice, the alphaIIbbeta3 integrin-overexpressing clones, ESL, ESH, 19L and 19H, grew more rapidly than the mock transfectant (alphavbeta3 expressing) clone, 3.1P. Morphometry demonstrated an increased intratumoral microvessel density in 19L and 19H tumors compared to 3.1P. Immunocytochemistry and flow cytometry indicated that vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) is constitutively expressed in the majority of the cells of both the mock and the alphaIIbbeta3 integrin-transfected clones. However, the mock transfectant clone, 3.1P, did not express basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF) at protein level (<1%), unlike the alphaIIbbeta3 integrin-transfected clones, 19L and 19H, (33.9 and 84.1%, respectively). Quantitative PCR analysis of 6 related human melanoma clones with various levels of alphaIIbbeta3 integrin expressions revealed a correlation between the alphaIIb protein and bFGF mRNA expressions. Furthermore, cDNA microarray analysis of the 19H cells revealed 12 downregulated and 36 upregulated genes [among them 3 upregulated vasculogenic mimicry-genes (CD34, endothelin receptor B, Prostaglandin I-2 synthase)] when compared to 3.1P cells. The altered bFGF expression may be influenced by integrin-linked signaling, since bbeta3-endonexin is upregulated in alphaIIbbeta3-transfected cells and tyrosine kinase inhibitors downregulate bFGF both at mRNA and protein levels. We propose here that the illegitimate expression of alphaIIbbeta3 integrin in human melanoma cells already expressing alphavbeta3 integrin may alter their in vivo growth properties due to the modulation of their angiogenic phenotype.
authors.affiliation: Department of Tumor Progression, National Institute of Oncology, Budapest, Hungary.
authors.forename: Balázs
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Döme
authors.forename: Erzsébet
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Rásó
authors.forename: Judit
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Dobos
authors.forename: Livia
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Mészáros
authors.forename: Norbert
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Varga
authors.forename: László G
authors.initials: LG
authors.lastname: Puskás
authors.forename: Liliána Z
authors.initials: LZ
authors.lastname: Fehér
authors.forename: László Z
authors.initials: LZ
authors.lastname: Fehér
authors.forename: Tamár
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Lörincz
authors.forename: Andrea
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ladányi
authors.forename: Mohit
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Trikha
authors.forename: Kenneth V
authors.initials: KV
authors.lastname: Honn
authors.forename: József
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Tímár
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D016222:Fibroblast Growth Factor 2 / Q000378:metabolism; D020869:Gene Expression Profiling; D006801:Humans; D039302:Integrin alphaVbeta3 / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D008545:Melanoma / Q000378:metabolism*; D051379:Mice; D016513:Mice, SCID; D009389:Neovascularization, Pathologic; D010641:Phenotype; D019039:Platelet Glycoprotein GPIIb-IIIa Complex / Q000378:metabolism*; D015398:Signal Transduction; D014162:Transfection
chemical_list: D039302:Integrin alphaVbeta3; D019039:Platelet Glycoprotein GPIIb-IIIa Complex; D016222:Fibroblast Growth Factor 2