CD43 is a transmembrane sialoglycoprotein. Normally the molecule is only produced by white blood cells where it regulates functions such as intercellular adhesion, intracellular signaling, apoptosis, migration and proliferation. Two CD43 antibodies were used to interrogate 66 cases of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) and 24 cases of small cell lung cancer (SCLC). In addition, we engineered the CD43-positive lung cancer cell line A549 to stably express either non-targeted or CD43-targeted small-interfering RNA (siRNA). These lines were then subjected to in vitro assays of apoptosis, natural killer (NK) cell cytotoxicity, intercellular adhesion and transendothelial migration. A xenograft mouse model evaluated the ability of the lines to grow primary tumors in vivo. CD43 was found to be expressed in the majority of both SCLC and NSCLC. Inclusive of CD43-negative tumors, differential patterns of nuclear and cytoplasmic expression of CD43 define four molecular subcategories of lung cancer. Targeting CD43 in A549 lung cancer cells, increased homotypic adhesion, decreased heterotypic adhesion and transendothelial migration, increased susceptibility to apoptosis and increased vulnerability to lysis by NK cells. Furthermore, targeting inhibited the growth of primary tumors in nude mice.Despite major advances in the field of medical oncology, lung cancer remains the leading cause of cancer death in the United States among both men and women. With an estimated 221,130 new cases and 156,940 deaths in 2011, lung cancer is responsible for more than 25% of all cancer deaths. 1 Two studies have reported that lung cancer might be characterized by expression of the sialoglycoprotein CD43 normally only produced by leukocytes. 2,3 The first study reported that 13 out of 13 cases of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) expressed CD43 while two out of two cases of small cell lung cancer (SCLC) were CD43-negative. 2 The second study reported that one out of three primary lung tumors exhibited CD43 expression. 3 One of these three tumors was a smallcell carcinoma and the other two were squamous cell carcinomas. Here, we report the analysis of 90 cases of lung cancer using antibodies that recognize either the N or C terminus of CD43. In addition, we report the functional consequences of expressing CD43-targeted small-interfering RNA (siRNA) in the lung cancer cell line A549.
Material and Methods
Patient materialParaffin-embedded formalin-fixed tissues representing 90 cases of lung cancer and one mild case of lung silicosis were provided free-of-charge by the Gundersen Foundation BioBank (http://www.gundluth.org/biobank). Each case was sectioned, stained with hematoxylin and eosin and the histological diagnosis verified. All experimental procedures were