RESUMO
Recent murine studies have demonstrated that tumor-associated macrophages in the tumor microenvironment are a key source of the pro-tumorigenic cysteine protease, cathepsin S. We now show in a syngeneic colorectal carcinoma murine model that both tumor and tumor-associated cells contribute cathepsin S to promote neovascularization and tumor growth. Cathepsin S depleted and control colorectal MC38 tumor cell lines were propagated in both wild type C57Bl/6 and cathepsin S null mice to provide stratified depletion of the protease from either the tumor, tumor-associated host cells, or both. Parallel analysis of these conditions showed that deletion of cathepsin S inhibited tumor growth and development, and revealed a clear contribution of both tumor and tumor-associated cell derived cathepsin S. The most significant impact on tumor development was obtained when the protease was depleted from both sources. Further characterization revealed that the loss of cathepsin S led to impaired tumor vascularization, which was complemented by a reduction in proliferation and increased apoptosis, consistent with reduced tumor growth. Analysis of cell types showed that in addition to the tumor cells, tumor-associated macrophages and endothelial cells can produce cathepsin S within the microenvironment. Taken together, these findings clearly highlight a manner by which tumor-associated cells can positively contribute to developing tumors and highlight cathepsin S as a therapeutic target in cancer.
Assuntos
Carcinoma Pulmonar de Lewis/patologia , Catepsinas/fisiologia , Movimento Celular , Proliferação de Células , Neoplasias Colorretais/patologia , Melanoma Experimental/patologia , Neovascularização Patológica , Animais , Apoptose , Western Blotting , Carcinoma Pulmonar de Lewis/irrigação sanguínea , Carcinoma Pulmonar de Lewis/genética , Adesão Celular , Ciclo Celular , Células Cultivadas , Neoplasias Colorretais/irrigação sanguínea , Neoplasias Colorretais/genética , Endotélio Vascular/citologia , Endotélio Vascular/metabolismo , Citometria de Fluxo , Imunofluorescência , Humanos , Técnicas Imunoenzimáticas , Macrófagos/citologia , Macrófagos/metabolismo , Melanoma Experimental/irrigação sanguínea , Melanoma Experimental/genética , Camundongos , Camundongos Endogâmicos C57BL , Camundongos Knockout , RNA Mensageiro/genética , Reação em Cadeia da Polimerase em Tempo Real , Reação em Cadeia da Polimerase Via Transcriptase Reversa , Microambiente TumoralRESUMO
PURPOSE: Cathepsin S is a cysteine protease that promotes the invasion of tumor and endothelial cells during cancer progression. Here we investigated the potential to target cathepsin S using an antagonistic antibody, Fsn0503, to block these tumorigenic effects. EXPERIMENTAL DESIGN: A panel of monoclonal antibodies was raised to human cathepsin S. The effects of a selected antibody were subsequently determined using invasion and proteolysis assays. Endothelial cell tube formation and aorta sprouting assays were done to examine antiangiogenic effects. In vivo effects were also evaluated using HCT116 xenograft studies. RESULTS: A selected cathepsin S antibody, Fsn0503, significantly blocked invasion of a range of tumor cell lines, most significantly HCT116 colorectal carcinoma cells, through inhibition of extracellular cathepsin S-mediated proteolysis. We subsequently found enhanced expression of cathepsin S in colorectal adenocarcinoma biopsies when compared with normal colon tissue. Moreover, Fsn0503 blocked endothelial cell capillary tube formation and aortic microvascular sprouting. We further showed that administration of Fsn0503 resulted in inhibition of tumor growth and neovascularization of HCT116 xenograft tumors. CONCLUSIONS: These results show that blocking the invasive and proangiogenic effects of cathepsin S with antibody inhibitors may have therapeutic utility upon further preclinical and clinical evaluation.