Heparanase-1 (HPSE) plays a pivotal role in structural remodeling of the ECM and glycocalyx thus conferring protumorigenic, proangiogenic and prometastatic properties to many cancer entities. In addition to its extracellular function, recent studies suggest an intracellular activity of HPSE with a largely unknown significance during tumor progression. Therefore, we investigated the relevance of HPSE duality in malignant melanoma in vitro as well as in mouse melanoma models basing on the intradermal injection of transfected melanoma cells. In line with its extracellular action, HPSE-deficiency led to a reduced shedding of the glycocalyx accompanied by a reduced availability of VEGF affecting tumor growth and vascularization. In contrast, we measured an elevated expression of the protumorigenic factors pentraxin-3, tissue factor, TNF-and most prominently MMP-9 upon HPSE knockdown. In vivo, HPSE-deficiency was related to increased lymph node metastasis. While inhibition of its extracellular function heparin was unable to block the gene regulatory impact of HPSE we proposed an intracellular mechanism. Immunostainings revealed a counter-staining of HPSE and NF-B in the nucleus suggesting a close relationship between both proteins. This finding was further supported by the discovery of a direct charge-driven molecular interaction between HPSE and DNA by using atomic force microscopy and a co-precipitation approach. Our findings are novel and point towards a dual identity of HPSE in malignant melanoma with a protumorigenic extracellular activity and a tumor suppressive nuclear action. Identification of molecular strategies to shuttle extracellular HPSE into the nuclei of cancer cells envisions new therapeutic options.
AbstractHeparanase-1 (HPSE) plays a pivotal role in structural remodeling of the ECM and glycocalyx thus conferring protumorigenic, proangiogenic and prometastatic properties to many cancer entities. In addition to its extracellular function, recent studies suggest an intracellular activity of HPSE with a largely unknown significance during tumor progression.Therefore, we investigated the relevance of HPSE duality in malignant melanoma in vitro as well as in mouse melanoma models basing on the intradermal injection of transfected melanoma cells. In line with its extracellular action, HPSE-deficiency led to a reduced shedding of the glycocalyx accompanied by a reduced availability of VEGF affecting tumor growth and vascularization. In contrast, we measured an elevated expression of the protumorigenic factors pentraxin-3, tissue factor, TNF-α and most prominently MMP-9 upon HPSE knockdown. In vivo, HPSE-deficiency was related to increased lymph node metastasis.While inhibition of its extracellular function heparin was unable to block the gene regulatory impact of HPSE we proposed an intracellular mechanism. Immunostainings revealed a counter-staining of HPSE and NF-κB in the nucleus suggesting a close relationship between both proteins. This finding was further supported by the discovery of a dir...