Integrin expression in human melanoma cell lines: Heterogeneity of vitronectin receptor composition and function

✍ Scribed by John F. Marshall; Stephen A. Nesbitt; Miep H. Helfrich; Michael A. Horton; Katarina Polakova; Ian R. Hart

• Publisher: John Wiley and Sons
• Year: 1991
• Tongue: French
• Weight: 957 KB
• Volume: 49
• Category: Article
• ISSN: 0020-7136
• DOI: 10.1002/ijc.2910490621

✦ Synopsis

Abstract

Ten human melanoma cell lines were examined for integrin‐receptor expression using a panel of antibodies directed against different integrin subunits. Considerable heterogeneity was detected for levels of expression of 7 integrins, including the α~v~β~3~ vitronectin receptor where a correlation between tumorigenic capacity in athymic nude mice and α~v~β~3~ levels was found. Detailed analysis of the vitronectin receptor on these lines revealed heterogeneity of composition. In one cell line, VUP, an α~v~β~1~ association was detected and, by antibody‐inhibition studies, this receptor was shown to bind vitronectin as its ligand. In another line, DX3, evidence was obtained which indicated that apart from the qfi, receptor the α~v~ was able to associate with another β subunit which was not β~3~. The existence of these alternative forms of the vitronectin receptor in this small sample of tumours of common origin might explain why the capacity to bind to fibrinogen and vitronectin substrates by these cells did not necessarily correlate with α~v~β~3~ levels.