Bjerregaard B, Holck S, Christensen I J, Larsson L-I
Anatomy and Cell Biology, IBHV, KVL, Gronnegaardsvej 7, 1870 Frederiksberg C, Copenhagen, Denmark.
Cell Mol Life Sci. 2006 Aug;63(16):1906-11. doi: 10.1007/s00018-006-6201-9.
Cancer cells can fuse spontaneously with normal host cells, including endothelial cells, and such fusions may strongly modulate the biological behaviour of tumors. However, the underlying mechanisms are unknown. We now show that human breast cancer cell lines and 63 out of 165 (38%) breast cancer specimens express syncytin, an endogenous retroviral envelope protein, previously implicated in fusions between placental trophoblast cells. Additionally, endothelial and cancer cells are shown to express ASCT-2, a receptor for syncytin. Syncytin antisense treatment decreases syncytin expression and inhibits fusions between breast cancer cells and endothelial cells. Moreover, a syncytin inhibitory peptide also inhibits fusions between cancer and endothelial cells. These results are the first to show that syncytin is expressed by human cancer cells and is involved in cancer-endothelial cell fusions.
癌细胞能够自发地与包括内皮细胞在内的正常宿主细胞融合，这种融合可能会强烈调节肿瘤的生物学行为。然而，其潜在机制尚不清楚。我们现在发现，人类乳腺癌细胞系以及165个乳腺癌标本中的63个（38%）表达合胞素，这是一种内源性逆转录病毒包膜蛋白，此前被认为与胎盘滋养层细胞之间的融合有关。此外，内皮细胞和癌细胞均被证明表达合胞素的受体ASCT-2。合胞素反义治疗可降低合胞素表达，并抑制乳腺癌细胞与内皮细胞之间的融合。此外，一种合胞素抑制肽也能抑制癌细胞与内皮细胞之间的融合。这些结果首次表明，合胞素由人类癌细胞表达，并参与癌症-内皮细胞融合。
