ABSTRACT
PURPOSE: KRAS mutations confer adverse prognosis to colorectal cancer, and no targeted therapies have shown efficacy in this patient subset. Paracrine, nongenetic events induced by KRAS-mutant tumor cells are expected to result in specific deregulation and/or relocation of tumor microenvironment (TME) proteins, which in principle can be exploited as alternative therapeutic targets. EXPERIMENTAL DESIGN: A multimodal strategy combining ex vivo/in vitro phage display screens with deep-sequencing and bioinformatics was applied to uncover TME-specific targets in KRAS-mutant hepatic metastasis from colorectal cancer. Expression and localization of BCAM and LAMA5 were validated by immunohistochemistry in preclinical models of human hepatic metastasis and in a panel of human specimens (n = 71). The antimetastatic efficacy of two BCAM-mimic peptides was evaluated in mouse models. The role of BCAM in the interaction of KRAS-mutant colorectal cancer cells with TME cells was investigated by adhesion assays. RESULTS: BCAM and LAMA5 were identified as molecular targets within both tumor cells and TME of KRAS-mutant hepatic metastasis from colorectal cancer, where they were specifically overexpressed. Two BCAM-mimic peptides inhibited KRAS-mutant hepatic metastasis in preclinical models. Genetic suppression and biochemical inhibition of either BCAM or LAMA5 impaired adhesion of KRAS-mutant colorectal cancer cells specifically to endothelial cells, whereas adhesion to pericytes and hepatocytes was unaffected. CONCLUSIONS: These data show that the BCAM/LAMA5 system plays a functional role in the metastatic spreading of KRAS-mutant colorectal cancer by mediating tumor-TME interactions and as such represents a valuable therapeutic candidate for this large, currently untreatable patient group. Clin Cancer Res; 22(19); 4923-33. ©2016 AACR.
Subject(s)
Cell Adhesion Molecules/metabolism , Colorectal Neoplasms/pathology , Laminin/metabolism , Liver Neoplasms/secondary , Lutheran Blood-Group System/metabolism , Neoplasm Invasiveness/genetics , Animals , Cell Adhesion/physiology , Cell Line, Tumor , Colorectal Neoplasms/genetics , Colorectal Neoplasms/metabolism , Endothelium, Vascular/pathology , Heterografts , Humans , Liver Neoplasms/genetics , Liver Neoplasms/metabolism , Mice , Mice, Nude , Paracrine Communication/physiology , Proto-Oncogene Proteins p21(ras)/genetics , Tumor Microenvironment/physiologyABSTRACT
Preventing cell entry of human immunodeficiency virus 1 (HIV-1) is of interest for the development of innovative therapies. We previously reported a specific interaction between HIV-1 envelope glycoprotein 120 (gp120) and Tat at the cell surface, which enhances virus attachment and entry. We also identified a gp120-mimicking peptide, CT319, that competes with gp120 for Tat binding, thus inhibiting HIV-1 infection. Here we report a molecular dissection of gp120 regions involved in this mechanism. Our findings identify the V1/V2 loop of gp120 as involved in Tat binding, and define this interaction as functionally relevant for HIV-1 entry into host cells.
Subject(s)
Gene Products, tat/chemistry , HIV Envelope Protein gp120/chemistry , HIV-1/chemistry , Peptides/chemistry , Virus Internalization/drug effects , Amino Acid Motifs , Binding Sites , Binding, Competitive , Cell Line , Gene Expression , Gene Products, tat/genetics , Gene Products, tat/metabolism , HIV Envelope Protein gp120/genetics , HIV Envelope Protein gp120/metabolism , HIV-1/genetics , HIV-1/metabolism , Humans , Molecular Sequence Data , Mutation , Peptides/pharmacology , Protein Binding , Protein Interaction Domains and Motifs , Protein Structure, Secondary , Recombinant Proteins/chemistry , Recombinant Proteins/genetics , Recombinant Proteins/metabolism , T-Lymphocytes/drug effects , T-Lymphocytes/metabolism , T-Lymphocytes/virologyABSTRACT
Homing of colorectal cancer (CRC) cells to the liver is a non-random process driven by a crosstalk between tumour cells and components of the host tissue. Here we report the isolation of a liver metastasis-specific peptide ligand (CGIYRLRSC) that binds a complex of E-cadherin and α(6) integrin on the surface of CRC cells. We identify angiopoietin-like 6 protein as a peptide-mimicked natural ligand enriched in hepatic blood vessels of CRC patients. We demonstrate that an interaction between hepatic angiopoietin-like 6 and tumoural α(6) integrin/E-cadherin drives liver homing and colonization by CRC cells, and that CGIYRLRSC inhibits liver metastasis through interference with this ligand/receptor system. Our results indicate a mechanism for metastasis whereby a soluble factor accumulated in normal vessels functions as a specific ligand for circulating cancer cells. Consistently, we show that high amounts of coexpressed α(6) integrin and E-cadherin in primary tumours represent a poor prognostic factor for patients with advanced CRC.
