ABSTRACT
CD24 is a glycosyl-phosphatidylinositol-anchored membrane protein that is frequently over-expressed in a variety of human carcinomas and is correlated with poor prognosis. In cancer cell lines, changes of CD24 expression can alter several cellular properties in vitro and tumor growth in vivo. However, little is known about how CD24 mediates these effects. Here we have analyzed the functional consequences of CD24 knock-down or over-expression in human cancer cell lines. Depletion of CD24 reduced cell proliferation and adhesion, enhanced apoptosis, and regulated the expression of various genes some of which were identified as STAT3 target genes. Loss of CD24 reduced STAT3 and FAK phosphorylation. Diminished STAT3 activity was confirmed by specific reporter assays. We found that reduced STAT3 activity after CD24 knock-down was accompanied by altered Src phosphorylation. Silencing of Src, similar to CD24, targeted the expression of prototype STAT3-regulated genes. Likewise, the over-expression of CD24 augmented Src-Y416 phosphorylation, the recruitment of Src into lipid rafts and the expression of STAT3-dependent target genes. An antibody to CD24 was effective in reducing tumor growth of A549 lung cancer and BxPC3 pancreatic cancer xenografts in mice. Antibody treatment affected the level of Src-phosphorylation in the tumor and altered the expression of STAT3 target genes. Our results provide evidence that CD24 regulates STAT3 and FAK activity and suggest an important role of Src in this process. Finally, the targeting of CD24 by antibodies could represent a novel route for tumor therapy.
Subject(s)
CD24 Antigen/metabolism , Cell Adhesion/genetics , Focal Adhesion Kinase 1/metabolism , Neoplasms/metabolism , STAT3 Transcription Factor/metabolism , src-Family Kinases/metabolism , Animals , Antibodies, Monoclonal , Apoptosis/genetics , CD24 Antigen/genetics , CD24 Antigen/immunology , Cell Line, Tumor , Cell Proliferation , Gene Expression Regulation , Humans , Mice , Mice, Inbred NOD , Mice, SCID , Neoplasm Transplantation , Phosphorylation , RNA Interference , RNA, Small Interfering , Transplantation, Heterologous , src-Family Kinases/geneticsABSTRACT
CD24 is a glycosyl-phosphatidylinositol-anchored protein with mucin-type structure that resides exclusively in membrane microdomains. CD24 is often highly expressed in carcinomas and correlates with poor prognosis. Experimentally, the over-expression or depletion of CD24 alters cell proliferation, adhesion, and invasion in vitro and tumor growth in vivo. However, little is known about the mechanisms by which CD24 mediates these cellular effects. Here we have studied the mechanism of CD24-dependent cell invasion using transient CD24 knock-down or over-expression in human cancer cell lines. We show that CD24 depletion reduced tumor cell invasion and up-regulated expression of Tissue Factor Pathway Inhibitor 2 (TFPI-2), a potent inhibitor of extracellular matrix degradation that can block metastases formation and tumor cell invasion. Over-expression of CD24 in A125 cells resulted in reduced TFPI-2 expression and enhanced invasion. We provide evidence that the activity of c-Src is reduced upon CD24 knock-down. The silencing of c-Src, similar to CD24, was able to enhance TFPI-2 expression and reduce tumor cell invasion. An inverse expression of CD24 and TFPI-2 was observed by immunohistochemical analysis of primary breast cancers (N = 1,174). TFPI-2 expression was highest in CD24 negative samples and lowered with increasing CD24 expression. Patients with a CD24 low/TFPI-2 high phenotype showed significantly better survival compared to CD24 high/TFPI-2 low patients. Our results provide evidence that CD24 can regulate cell invasion via TFPI-2 and suggests a role of c-Src in this process.
