ABSTRACT
The soluble form of the syndecan-1 heparan sulfate proteoglycan acts as a tumor suppressor molecule that inhibits growth and induces apoptosis of some cancer cell lines in vitro. Analogs of syndecan-1 were produced by carbodiimide (EDAC) conjugation of glycosaminoglycan (GAG) chains to a protein scaffold, thereby generating synthetic proteoglycans that were evaluated for anticancer properties. Surprisingly, when analyzing activities of the controls, we discovered that EDAC modified GAG chains inhibit myeloma cell viability even in the absence of protein. Here, we describe the production and the activities of these novel molecules called neoglycans. The GAG chains heparin and chondroitin sulfate (CS) were exposed to EDAC to generate the neoglycans neoheparin and neoCS, respectively. Heparin and CS in the absence of EDAC modification have no effect or a slight growth promoting effect on cancer and normal cell lines. However, neoheparin and neoCS substantially reduce cell viability by induction of apoptosis of myeloma and breast cancer cells in vitro. NeoCS when injected directly into breast tumors growing in nude mice reduces or abolishes their growth without causing apparent toxicity to the adjacent normal tissue. The neoglycans need not be continuously present in cell cultures because a short pulse exposure is sufficient to reduce cell viability. NeoCS fractions purified by size exclusion chromatography reduce myeloma cell viability, confirming the specificity of neoglycan activity. Collectively, the results of this study demonstrate the anticancer activities of this new class of GAG chain-based molecules and provide the foundation for future development of neoglycans as novel therapeutic agents.
Subject(s)
Antineoplastic Agents/pharmacology , Carbodiimides/pharmacology , Glycosaminoglycans/pharmacology , 3T3 Cells , Animals , Antineoplastic Agents/chemistry , Apoptosis/drug effects , Breast Neoplasms/drug therapy , CHO Cells , Carbodiimides/chemistry , Cell Division/drug effects , Cell Survival/drug effects , Chondroitin Sulfates/chemistry , Chondroitin Sulfates/pharmacology , Cricetinae , Dogs , Drug Screening Assays, Antitumor , Female , Glycosaminoglycans/chemistry , Heparin/chemical synthesis , Heparin/pharmacology , Humans , Membrane Glycoproteins/chemistry , Membrane Glycoproteins/pharmacology , Mice , Mice, Inbred BALB C , Multiple Myeloma/drug therapy , Multiple Myeloma/pathology , Proteoglycans/chemistry , Proteoglycans/pharmacology , Syndecan-1 , Syndecans , Tumor Cells, Cultured , Xenograft Model Antitumor AssaysABSTRACT
Syndecan-1 (CD138) is a transmembrane heparan sulfate-bearing proteoglycan expressed by most myeloma plasma cells that regulates adhesion, migration, and growth factor activity. In patients with myeloma, shed syndecan-1 accumulates in the bone marrow, and high levels of syndecan-1 in the serum are an indicator of poor prognosis. To test the effect of soluble syndecan-1 on tumor cell growth and dissemination, ARH-77 B-lymphoid cells were engineered to produce a soluble form of syndecan-1. Controls included vector only (neo)-transfected cells and cells transfected with full-length syndecan-1 complementary DNA that codes for the cell surface form of syndecan-1. Assays reveal that all 3 transfectants have similar growth rates in vitro, but cells expressing soluble syndecan-1 are hyperinvasive in collagen gels relative to controls. When injected into the marrow of human bones that were implanted in severe combined immunodeficient mice, tumors formed by cells expressing soluble syndecan-1 grow faster than tumors formed by neo-transfected cells or by cells expressing cell surface syndecan-1. In addition, cells bearing cell surface syndecan-1 exhibit a diminished capacity to establish tumors within the mice as compared with both neo- and soluble syndecan-1-transfected cells. Tumor cell dissemination to a contralateral human bone is detected significantly more often in the tumors producing soluble syndecan-1 than in controls. Thus, high levels of soluble syndecan-1 present in patients with myeloma may contribute directly to the growth and dissemination of the malignant cells and thus to poor prognosis.
