Purpose: Tumor cell metastasis constitutes a major problem in the treatment of cancer. Because the cure rate of metastatic tumors is very low, new therapeutic approaches are needed. Heat shock protein 90 (HSP90) is a molecular chaperone that is recognized as a new target for the treatment of cancer. Here, we examine the value of a monoclonal antibody (mAb) against HSP90, mAb 4C5, as a potential marker in malignant melanomas. Moreover, we investigate the possibility to use mAb 4C5 as an inhibitor of melanoma cell invasion and metastasis.
Experimental design: Paraffin blocks of formalin-fixed human melanoma tumor tissues were used to prepare tissue microarrays. The B16 F10 melanoma cell line was used in all the in vitro experiments. To assess melanoma cell invasion, the wound-healing assay and the Matrigel invasion assay were applied. To evaluate the effect of mAb 4C5 on tumor metastasis, we used an experimental model of metastatic melanoma.
Results: Immunohistochemical studies done on a panel of malignant melanomas showed positive immunostaining with mAb 4C5 in all cases. mAb 4C5 inhibits B16 F10 cell invasion by binding to surface HSP90 because it is not internalized. mAb 4C5 significantly inhibits melanoma metastasis in C57BL/6 mice inoculated with B16 F10 cells.
Conclusions: mAb 4C5 could be potentially used as a novel specific marker for malignant melanomas. mAb 4C5 inhibits melanoma cell invasion in vitro by binding to cell surface HSP90 expressed on B16 F10 melanoma cells. Finally, this antibody significantly inhibits melanoma metastasis, thus rendering it a potential therapeutic agent for the treatment of cancer metastasis.