Endothelial integrin α3β1 stabilizes carbohydrate-mediated tumor/endothelial cell adhesion and induces macromolecular signaling complex formation at the endothelial cell membrane

Oncotarget. 2014 Mar 15;5(5):1382-9. doi: 10.18632/oncotarget.1837.

Abstract

Blood borne metastatic tumor cell adhesion to endothelial cells constitutes a critical rate-limiting step in hematogenous cancer metastasis. Interactions between cancer associated carbohydrate Thomsen-Friedenreich antigen (TF-Ag) and endothelium-expressed galectin-3 (Gal-3) have been identified as the leading molecular mechanism initiating tumor/endothelial cell adhesion in several types of cancer. However, it is unknown how these rather weak and transient carbohydrate/lectin mediated interactions are stabilized. Here, using Western blot and LC tandem mass spectrometry analyses of pull-downs utilizing TF-Ag loaded gold nanoparticles, we identified Gal-3, endothelial integrin α3β1, Src kinase, as well as 5 additional molecules mapping onto focal adhesion pathway as parts of the macromolecular complexes formed at the endothelial cell membranes downstream of TF-Ag/Gal-3 interactions. In a modified parallel flow chamber assay, inhibiting α3β1 integrin greatly reduced the strength of tumor/endothelial cell interactions without affecting the initial cancer cell adhesion. Further, the macromolecular complex induced by TF-Ag/Gal-3/α3β1 interactions activates Src kinase, p38, and ERK1/2, pathways in endothelial cells in a time- and α3β1-dependent manner. We conclude that, following the initial metastatic cell attachment to endothelial cells mediated by TF-Ag/Gal-3 interactions, endothelial integrin α3β1 stabilizes tumor/endothelial cell adhesion and induces the formation of macromolecular signaling complex activating several major signaling pathways in endothelial cells.

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural
  • Research Support, U.S. Gov't, Non-P.H.S.

MeSH terms

  • Antigens, Tumor-Associated, Carbohydrate / metabolism*
  • Cell Adhesion / physiology*
  • Cell Line, Tumor
  • Cell Membrane / chemistry
  • Cell Membrane / metabolism
  • Endothelial Cells / chemistry
  • Endothelial Cells / physiology*
  • Galectin 3 / analysis
  • Galectin 3 / metabolism*
  • Humans
  • Integrin alpha3beta1 / analysis
  • Integrin alpha3beta1 / metabolism*
  • MAP Kinase Signaling System*
  • Macromolecular Substances / metabolism
  • Male
  • Neoplasm Metastasis / physiopathology*
  • Prostatic Neoplasms / metabolism*
  • src-Family Kinases / analysis
  • src-Family Kinases / metabolism

Substances

  • Antigens, Tumor-Associated, Carbohydrate
  • Galectin 3
  • Integrin alpha3beta1
  • Macromolecular Substances
  • Thomsen-Friedenreich antigen
  • src-Family Kinases