Tenascin-W is a specific marker of glioma-associated blood vessels and stimulates angiogenesis in vitro.
The microenvironment hosting a tumor actively participates in regulating tumor cell proliferation, migration, and invasion. Among the extracellular matrix proteins enriched in the stroma of carcinomas are the tenascin family members tenascin-C and tenascin-W. Whereas tenascin-C overexpression in gliomas is known to correlate with poor prognosis, the status of tenascin-W in brain tumors has not been investigated so far. In the present study, we analyzed protein levels of tenascin-W in 38 human gliomas and found expression of tenascin-W in 80% of the tumor samples, whereas no tenascin-W could be detected in control, nontumoral brain tissues. Double immunohistochemical staining of tenascin-W and von Willebrand factor revealed that tenascin-W is localized around blood vessels, exclusively in tumor samples. In vitro, the presence of tenascin-W increased the proportion of elongated human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) and augmented the mean speed of cell migration. Furthermore, tenascin-W triggered sprouting of HUVEC spheroids to a similar extent as the proangiogenic factor tenascin-C. In conclusion, our study identifies tenascin-W as a candidate biomarker for brain tumor angiogenesis that could be used as a molecular target for therapy irrespective of the glioma subtype.-Martina, E., Degen, M., Rüegg, C., Merlo, A., Lino, M. M., Chiquet-Ehrismann, R., Brellier, F. Tenascin-W is a specific marker of glioma-associated blood vessels and stimulates angiogenesis in vitro.
Martina
Enrico
E
Friedrich Miescher Institute for Biomedical Research, Novartis Research Foundation, Maulbeerstrasse 66, CH-4058 Basel, Switzerland.
Degen
Martin
M
Rüegg
Curzio
C
Merlo
Adrian
A
Lino
Maddalena M
MM
Chiquet-Ehrismann
Ruth
R
Brellier
Florence
F
D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000494:pharmacology*; D001808:Blood Vessels / Q000378:metabolism*; D015153:Blotting, Western; D049108:Cell Enlargement / Q000187:drug effects; D002460:Cell Line; D002465:Cell Movement / Q000187:drug effects; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D042783:Endothelial Cells / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects; D005455:Fluorescent Antibody Technique; D005910:Glioma / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D018919:Neovascularization, Physiologic / Q000187:drug effects*; D018874:Spheroids, Cellular / Q000187:drug effects; D019063:Tenascin / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000494:pharmacology*; D014471:Umbilical Veins / Q000166:cytology
D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D019063:Tenascin