Platelets promote tumor growth and metastasis via direct interaction between Aggrus/podoplanin and CLEC-2

PLoS One. 2013 Aug 21;8(8):e73609. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0073609. eCollection 2013.

Abstract

The platelet aggregation-inducing factor Aggrus, also known as podoplanin, is frequently upregulated in several types of tumors and enhances hematogenous metastasis by interacting with and activating the platelet receptor CLEC-2. Thus, Aggrus-CLEC-2 binding could be a therapeutic molecular mechanism for cancer therapy. We generated a new anti-human Aggrus monoclonal antibody, MS-1, that suppressed Aggrus-CLEC-2 binding, Aggrus-induced platelet aggregation, and Aggrus-mediated tumor metastasis. Interestingly, the MS-1 monoclonal antibody attenuated the growth of Aggrus-positive tumors in vivo. Moreover, the humanized chimeric MS-1 antibody, ChMS-1, also exhibited strong antitumor activity against Aggrus-positive lung squamous cell carcinoma xenografted into NOD-SCID mice compromising antibody-dependent cellular cytotoxic and complement-dependent cytotoxic activities. Because Aggrus knockdown suppressed platelet-induced proliferation in vitro and tumor growth of the lung squamous cell carcinoma in vivo, Aggrus may be involved in not only tumor metastasis but also tumor growth by promoting platelet-tumor interaction, platelet activation, and secretion of platelet-derived factors in vivo. Our results indicate that molecular target drugs inhibiting specific platelet-tumor interactions can be developed as antitumor drugs that suppress both metastasis and proliferation of tumors such as lung squamous cell carcinoma.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Blood Platelets / physiology*
  • CHO Cells
  • Cricetinae
  • Cricetulus
  • Female
  • Lectins, C-Type / metabolism*
  • Membrane Glycoproteins / metabolism*
  • Membrane Proteins / metabolism*
  • Mice
  • Mice, Inbred BALB C
  • Neoplasm Metastasis*
  • Neoplasms / pathology*
  • Protein Binding

Substances

  • CLEC2B protein, human
  • Lectins, C-Type
  • Membrane Glycoproteins
  • Membrane Proteins
  • PDPN protein, human

Grants and funding

This study was supported in part by the Advanced Research for Medical Products Mining Programme of the National Institute of Biomedical Innovation (NIBIO) (to NF), by a Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research on Innovative Areas “Integrative Research on Cancer Microenvironment Network” from the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science, and Technology of Japan (to NF), and by a Grant-in-Aid for Young Scientists (B) (to ST). The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript.