Loss of adhesion-regulated proteinase production is correlated with invasive activity in oral squamous cell carcinoma

BACKGROUND. Oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) is the most common malignancy of the oral cavity. However, the cellular and biochemical factors that underlie locoregional and distant spread of the disease are poorly understood. Invasion of OSCC requires multiple cellular events including dissolution of cell-cell junctions, basement membrane attachment, extracellular matrix proteolysis, and migration. METHODS. We evaluated these properties in vitro using premalignant gingival keratinocytes (pp126) and two OSCC lines (SCC15 and SCC68). Expression of adhesion molecules integrins and cadherins, cytoplasmic intermediate filaments (IF) vimentin and keratin as well as matrix degrading proteins were evaluated. Moreover, regulation of protease production by adhesion molecules was tested. RESULTS. All cell lines contained comparable levels of the epithelial cell-cell adhesion molecule, E-cadherin. Differential expression of cytoplasmic IF was evident between premalignant pp126 cells and OSCC cell lines. Expression levels of the α3/β1 integrin, utilized for attachment to laminin-5 and other matrix proteins, was high in SCC68 cells, moderate in SCC15 cells, and low in pp126 cells, α3/β1 integrin clustering up-regulates expression of urinary-type plasminogen activator (uPA) in pp126 cells via a mechanism involving ERK activation, Both pp126 and SCC15 cells were responsive to α3/β1 clustering, resulting in enhanced uPA expression. However, basal uPA levels were high in SCC68 cells and integrin clustering did not further stimulate uPA production. ERK was constitutively activated in SCC68 cells and treatment of cells with an inhibitor of ERK activation (PD98059) reduced uPA expression. Consistent with the enhanced proteolytic potential, SCC68 cells readily penetrated Matrigel and invasion was blocked by an anticatalytic uPA antibody. CONCLUSIONS. These data suggest that loss of adhesion-regulated proteinase production may lead to elevated pericellular proteinase activity and coincident alterations in cytoskeletal IF protein expression, thereby contributing to the invasive potential of OSCC.