Activated leukocyte cell adhesion molecule expression correlates with the WNT subgroup in medulloblastoma and is involved in regulating tumor cell proliferation and invasion

PLoS One. 2020 Dec 3;15(12):e0243272. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0243272. eCollection 2020.

Abstract

Cluster of differentiation (CD) 166 or activated leukocyte cell adhesion molecule (ALCAM) is a transmembrane molecule known to be an intercellular adhesion factor. The expression and function of ALCAM in medulloblastoma (MB), a pediatric brain tumor with highly advanced molecular genetics, remains unclear. Therefore, this study aimed to clarify the significance and functional role of ALCAM expression in MB. ALCAM expression in 45 patients with MB was evaluated by immunohistochemical analysis of formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded clinical specimens and the relationship between ALCAM expression and pathological type/molecular subgroup, such as WNT, SHH, Group 3, and Group 4, was examined. Eight ALCAM positive (18%), seven partially positive (16%), and 30 negative (67%) cases were detected. All seven cases of the WNT molecular subgroup were ALCAM positive and ALCAM expression strongly correlated with this subgroup (P < 0.0001). In addition, functional studies using MB cell lines revealed ALCAM expression affected proliferation and migration as a positive regulator in vitro. However, ALCAM silencing did not affect survival or the formation of leptomeningeal dissemination in an orthotopic mouse model, but did induce a malignant phenotype with increased tumor cell invasion at the dissemination sites (P = 0.0029). In conclusion, our results revealed that ALCAM exhibited highly specific expression in the WNT subgroup of MB. Furthermore, we demonstrated that the cell kinetics of MB cell lines can be altered by the expression of ALCAM.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Activated-Leukocyte Cell Adhesion Molecule / genetics
  • Adolescent
  • Animals
  • Antigens, CD / metabolism*
  • Antigens, CD / physiology
  • Biomarkers, Tumor / metabolism
  • Brain Neoplasms / genetics
  • Cell Adhesion / genetics
  • Cell Adhesion Molecules, Neuronal / metabolism*
  • Cell Adhesion Molecules, Neuronal / physiology
  • Cell Movement / genetics
  • Cell Proliferation / genetics
  • Cerebellar Neoplasms / genetics
  • Child
  • Child, Preschool
  • Female
  • Fetal Proteins / metabolism*
  • Fetal Proteins / physiology
  • Gene Expression / genetics
  • Gene Expression Profiling
  • Humans
  • Infant
  • Japan / epidemiology
  • Male
  • Medulloblastoma / metabolism*
  • Medulloblastoma / physiopathology
  • Mice
  • Neoplasm Invasiveness
  • RNA, Messenger / genetics
  • Wnt Proteins / genetics
  • Wnt Proteins / metabolism*
  • Young Adult

Substances

  • ALCAM protein, human
  • Activated-Leukocyte Cell Adhesion Molecule
  • Antigens, CD
  • Biomarkers, Tumor
  • Cell Adhesion Molecules, Neuronal
  • Fetal Proteins
  • RNA, Messenger
  • Wnt Proteins

Grants and funding

YF Japan Society for the Promotion of Science (JSPS) KAKENHI https://www.jsps.go.jp/english/ Grant Number JP16K10755 YK Japan Agency for Medical Research and Development (AMED) https://www.amed.go.jp/en/ Grant Number JP18ck0106330 and JP18gm0810011.