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Production of fibronectin and adherence to fibronectin by human myeloma cell lines
Author(s) -
Riet Ivan Van,
Greef Catherine De,
Favero Herwig Del,
Demanet Christian,
Camp Ben Van
Publication year - 1994
Publication title -
british journal of haematology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.907
H-Index - 186
eISSN - 1365-2141
pISSN - 0007-1048
DOI - 10.1111/j.1365-2141.1994.tb04907.x
Subject(s) - fibronectin , multiple myeloma , medicine , cancer research , biology , cell , genetics
SUMMARY. In the present study we examined the production of fibronectin (FN) in 10 human myeloma cell lines (HMCL). By Northern blot analysis we could detect the presence of FN‐mRNA in most of these lines. A majority of the cell lines (LP‐1, OPM1, SKMM‐2, EJM, JJN3 and ARH‐77) hybridized with two probes recognizing total FN while the mRNA of one cell line (LB84‐1) was shown to hybridize also with a probe recognizing the EDA segment of cellular FN. In one cell line (L363) FN‐mRnA could only be detected after PCR amplification. Using an enzyme‐linked immunosorbent assay, we could also demonstrate that HMCL secrete FN in their culture medium. Seven myeloma cell lines that produce FN showed a significant adherence to soluble FN. By blocking experiments, this adhesion was found to be mediated by the VLA‐4 (α4β1) receptor. The production of fibronectin and the expression of a functional receptor for this protein may represent independent features of myeloma cells but may also be functionally linked. Since fibronectin has recently been identified as a crucial co‐factor of IL6 in the regulation of the terminal B cell differentiation, the endogenous FN production may be part of an autocrineline process mediating the autonomous growth of these cell lines. Alternatively, the FN production may also reflect a mechanism that myeloma cells use to communicate with their natural environment, i.e. the bone marrow stroma. In order to examine whether FN can be regarded as a reliable tumour marker for myeloma, serum FN levels were measured in 24 myeloma patients and were found to be increased when compared to normal controls (mean values 40.7 mg/dl versus 29.2 mg/dl; P < 0.01). It was, however, not possible to relate the FN concentration to serum IL6 and β2m levels or bone marrow plasmacytosis.