A comparative study of adhesion of melanoma and breast cancer cells to blood and lymphatic endothelium

Safuan, Sabreena; Storr, Sarah J.; Patel, Poulam M.; Martin, Stewart G.

Abstract

Background: Lymphovascular invasion (LVI) is an important step in the metastatic cascade; tumor cell migration
and adhesion to blood and lymphatic vessels is followed by invasion through the vessel wall and subsequent
systemic spread. Although primary breast cancers and melanomas have rich blood vascular networks, LVI is
predominately lymphatic in nature. Whilst the adhesion of tumor cells to blood endothelium has been extensively
investigated, there is a paucity of information on tumor cell adhesion to lymphatic endothelium.
Methods and Results: Breast cancer (MDA-MB-231 and MCF7) and melanoma (MeWo and SKMEL-30) cell
adhesion to lymphatic (hTERT-LEC and HMVEC dLy Neo) and blood (HUVEC and hMEC-1) endothelial cells
were assessed using static adhesion assays. The effect of inflammatory conditions, tumor necrosis factor-a
(TNF-a) stimulation of endothelial and tumor cells, on the adhesive process was also examined. In addition,
the effects of TNF-a stimulation on tumor cell migration was investigated using haplotaxis (scratch wound)
assays. Breast cancer and melanoma cells exhibited higher levels of adhesion to blood compared to lymphatic
endothelial cells ( p < 0.001). TNF-a stimulation of endothelial cells, or of tumor cells alone, did not significantly
alter tumor–endothelial cell adhesion or patterns.When both tumor and endothelial cells were stimulated with
TNF-a, a significant increase in adhesion was observed ( p < 0.01), which was notably higher in the lymphatic
cell models ( p < 0.001). TNF-a-stimulation of all tumor cell lines significantly increased their migration rate
( p < 0.01).
Conclusions: Results suggest that metastasis resultant from lymphatic vessel-tumor cell adhesion may be
modulated by cytokine stimulation, which could represent an important therapeutic target in breast cancer and
melanoma.

Citation

Safuan, S., Storr, S. J., Patel, P. M., & Martin, S. G. (2012). A comparative study of adhesion of melanoma and breast cancer cells to blood and lymphatic endothelium. Lymphatic Research and Biology, 10(4), https://doi.org/10.1089/lrb.2012.0007

• Journal Article Type: Article
• Publication Date: Dec 16, 2012
• Deposit Date: Apr 1, 2014
• Publicly Available Date: Apr 1, 2014
• Journal: Lymphatic Research and Biology
• Print ISSN: 1539-6851
• Electronic ISSN: 1557-8585
• Publisher: Mary Ann Liebert
• Peer Reviewed: Peer Reviewed
• Volume: 10
• Issue: 4
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.1089/lrb.2012.0007
• Public URL: https://nottingham-repository.worktribe.com/output/712524
• Publisher URL: http://online.liebertpub.com/doi/abs/10.1089/lrb.2012.0007