Cold shock domain protein A (CSDA) overexpression inhibits tumor growth and lymph node metastasis in a mouse model of squamous cell carcinoma

Clin Exp Metastasis. 2010 Oct;27(7):539-47. doi: 10.1007/s10585-010-9343-y. Epub 2010 Jul 10.

Abstract

Cancer cells metastasize by entering the lymphatic system. Regional lymph-node dissemination is the first detectable step in the metastasis of oral squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) and is highly correlated to the prognosis of the disease. Cold shock domain protein A (CSDA) is a DNA-binding protein that represses angiogenesis and lymphangiogenesis by directly binding to hypoxia response element (HRE) and serum response element (SRE). In our study we used the cell line NR-S1M, a mouse SCC model with a high rate of lymph-node metastasis. Into these cells we transfected the expression-plasmid coding for full-length mouse CSDA. Of importance, we showed that overexpression of CSDA significantly inhibits the production of VEGF-A and VEGF-C in NR-S1M cells. The overexpression of CSDA in NR-S1M cells inhibited tumor growth, inhibited regional lymph-node metastasis, and reduced the density of blood vessels and lymphatic vessels in the primary tumors in vivo. Our results support the hypothesis that VEGF-A and VEGF-C are crucial regulators of angiogenesis and lymphangiogenesis in NR-S1M cells. Therefore, they are promising targets for CSDA overexpression gene therapy to inhibit tumor growth and lymph-node metastasis in SCC.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • CCAAT-Enhancer-Binding Proteins / metabolism
  • CCAAT-Enhancer-Binding Proteins / physiology*
  • Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / pathology*
  • Cell Line, Tumor
  • Disease Models, Animal*
  • Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay
  • Female
  • Heat-Shock Proteins / metabolism
  • Heat-Shock Proteins / physiology*
  • Immunohistochemistry
  • Lymphatic Metastasis*
  • Mice
  • Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction
  • Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A / metabolism

Substances

  • CCAAT-Enhancer-Binding Proteins
  • Heat-Shock Proteins
  • Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A
  • YBX3 protein, human