PLoS ONE (Jan 2013)

Adhesion and Invasion of Breast and Oesophageal Cancer Cells Are Impeded by Anti-LRP/LR-Specific Antibody IgG1-iS18.

  • Thandokuhle Khumalo,
  • Uwe Reusch,
  • Stefan Knackmuss,
  • Melvyn Little,
  • Robin B Veale,
  • Stefan F T Weiss

DOI
https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0066297
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 8, no. 6
p. e66297

Abstract

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Adhesion and invasion have been identified as the two key components of metastasis. The 37 kDa/67 kDa laminin receptor (LRP/LR) is thought to enhance these two processes thus endorsing the progression of cancer. Here we report on LRP/LR and the metastatic potential of MDA-MB 231 breast and WHCO1 oesophageal cancer cells. Western blot analysis revealed a significant increase in total laminin receptor precursor (LRP) levels of breast and oesophageal cancer cells in comparison to non-invasive MCF-7 breast cancer cells, whereas LRP/LR cell surface levels in both cell lines were not significantly different to those of MCF-7 cells as analysed by flow cytometry. Incubation of breast and oesophageal cancer cells with the anti-LRP/LR specific antibody, IgG1-iS18, resulted in significant reduction in the adhesive potential of WHCO1 and MDA-MB 231 cells by 92% and 16%, respectively. Moreover, invasion was significantly impeded by 98% and 25% for WHCO1 and MDA-MB 231 cells, respectively. Pearson's correlation coefficients proved a positive correlation between total LRP/LR levels and invasive potential as well as between the adhesive and invasive potential of breast and oesophageal cancer cells. Our findings suggest that through interference of the LRP/LR-laminin-1 interaction, anti-LRP/LR specific antibody IgG1-iS18 may act as a possible alternative therapeutic tool for metastatic breast and oesophageal cancer treatment.