title: 4-Methylumbelliferone inhibits hyaluronan synthesis by depletion of cellular UDP-glucuronic acid and downregulation of hyaluronan synthase 2 and 3.
abstract: Hyaluronan accumulation on cancer cells and their surrounding stroma predicts an unfavourable disease outcome, suggesting that hyaluronan enhances tumor growth and spreading. 4-Methylumbelliferone (4-MU) inhibits hyaluronan synthesis and retards cancer spreading in experimental animals through mechanisms not fully understood. These mechanisms were studied in A2058 melanoma cells, MCF-7 and MDA-MB-361 breast, SKOV-3 ovarian and UT-SCC118 squamous carcinoma cells by analysing hyaluronan synthesis, UDP-glucuronic acid (UDP-GlcUA) content, and hyaluronan synthase (HAS) mRNA levels. The maximal inhibition in hyaluronan synthesis ranged 22-80% in the cell lines tested. Active glucuronidation of 4-MU produced large quantities of 4-MU-glucuronide, depleting the cellular UDP-GlcUA pool. The maximal reduction varied between 38 and 95%. 4-MU also downregulated HAS mRNA levels: HAS3 was 84-60% lower in MDA-MB-361, A2058 and SKOV-3 cells. HAS2 was the major isoenzyme in MCF-7 cells and lowered by 81%, similar to 88% in A2058 cells. These data indicate that both HAS substrate and HAS2 and/or HAS3 mRNA are targeted by 4-MU. Despite different target point sensitivities, the reduction of hyaluronan caused by 4-MU was associated with a significant inhibition of cell migration, proliferation and invasion, supporting the importance of hyaluronan synthesis in cancer, and the therapeutic potential of hyaluronan synthesis inhibition.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Biomedicine, Anatomy, University of Kuopio, P.O.B. 1627, FIN-70211 Kuopio, Finland. anne.kultti@uku.fi
authors.forename: Anne
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Kultti
authors.forename: Sanna
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Pasonen-Seppänen
authors.forename: Marjo
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Jauhiainen
authors.forename: Kirsi J
authors.initials: KJ
authors.lastname: Rilla
authors.forename: Riikka
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Kärnä
authors.forename: Emma
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Pyöriä
authors.forename: Raija H
authors.initials: RH
authors.lastname: Tammi
authors.forename: Markku I
authors.initials: MI
authors.lastname: Tammi
mesh_terms: D001483:Base Sequence; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D002465:Cell Movement / Q000187:drug effects; D049109:Cell Proliferation / Q000187:drug effects; D017931:DNA Primers / Q000235:genetics; D015536:Down-Regulation / Q000187:drug effects; D005260:Female; D014453:Glucuronosyltransferase / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D000076002:Hyaluronan Synthases; D006820:Hyaluronic Acid / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D006923:Hymecromone / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000494:pharmacology; D008545:Melanoma / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D009361:Neoplasm Invasiveness / Q000517:prevention & control; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D012334:RNA, Neoplasm / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D014535:Uridine Diphosphate Glucuronic Acid / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D017931:DNA Primers; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D012334:RNA, Neoplasm; D014535:Uridine Diphosphate Glucuronic Acid; D006923:Hymecromone; D006820:Hyaluronic Acid; D014453:Glucuronosyltransferase; C101754:HAS2 protein, human; C105458:HAS3 protein, human; D000076002:Hyaluronan Synthases