Syndecan-1 is a multifunctional regulator of myeloma pathobiology: control of tumor cell survival, growth, and bone cell differentiation.

Multiple myeloma is characterized by an accumulation of malignant plasma cells in the bone marrow coupled with an altered balance of osteoclasts and osteoblasts, leading to lytic bone disease. Although some of the cytokines driving this process have been characterized, little is known about the negative regulators. We show that syndecan-1 (CD 138), a heparan sulfate proteoglycan, expressed on and actively shed from the surface of most myeloma cells, induces apoptosis and inhibits the growth of myeloma tumor cells and also mediates decreased osteoclast and increased osteoblast differentiation. The addition of intact purified syndecan-1 ectodomain (1 to 6 nmol/L) to myeloma cell lines in culture leads to induction of apoptosis and dose-dependent growth inhibition, with concurrent downregulation of cyclin D1. The addition of purified syndecan-1 in picomolar concentrations to bone marrow cells in culture leads to a dose-dependent decrease in osteoclastogenesis and a smaller increase in osteoblastogenesis. In contrast to the effect on myeloma cells, the effect of syndecan-1 on osteoclastogenesis only requires the syndecan-1 heparan sulfate chains and not the intact ectodomain, suggesting that syndecan's effect on myeloma and bone cells occurs through different mechanisms. When injected in severe combined immune deficient (scid) mice, control-transfected myeloma cells (ARH-77 cells) expressing little syndecan-1 readily form tumors, leading to hind limb paralysis and lytic bone disease. However, after the injection of syndecan-1-transfected ARH-77 cells, the development of disease-related morbidity and lytic bone disease is significantly inhibited. Taken together, our data demonstrate, both in vitro and in vivo, that syndecan-1 has a significant beneficial effect on the behavior of both myeloma and bone cells and therefore may represent one of the central molecules in the regulation of myeloma pathobiology.

Elevated levels of shed syndecan-1 correlate with tumour mass and decreased matrix metalloproteinase-9 activity in the serum of patients with multiple myeloma.

Sera from 20 myeloma patients and 12 normal controls were analysed for the presence of syndecan-1 and matrix metalloproteinase-9 (MMP-9). The level of syndecan-1 in the serum was elevated in 7/20 (3 5%) myeloma patients whilst 6/19 patients (31%) had decreased serum MMP-9 activity. The presence of increased syndecan-1 was associated with decreased serum MMP-9. Both elevated syndecan-1 and decreased MMP-9 were associated with higher marrow plasmacytosis, serum beta-2 microglobulin and paraprotein levels. These data provide evidence that the syndecan-1 ectodomain is shed in vivo. Quantitation of serum syndecan-1 may be a useful measure of tumour mass and may have important implications for myeloma biology.