Heterogeneity for integrin expression and cytokine‐mediated VLA modulation can influence the adhesion of human melanoma cells to extracellular matrix proteins

Expression of α and β subunits of VLA and VNR integrins was analyzed by cytofluorimetric analysis on 6 different human primary and metastatic melanoma cell cultures. Marked inter‐tumor heterogeneity was observed, and expression of VLA‐α, VLA‐α2 and VLA‐α6 was lower on primary melanomas than on metastatic lesions. The function of VLA products on melanoma cells was assessed by adhesion assays to extracellular matrix (ECM) proteins using a panel of melanoma clones previously characterized for the presence and heterogeneity of expression of the distinct VLA‐α subunits. These experiments indicated that intra‐tumor heterogeneity in the integrin profile can influence the interaction of neoplastic cells with ECM proteins. Inhibition of adhesion with antibodies to VLA‐α subunits revealed that the presence on melanoma cells of VLA‐α2, VLA‐α5 and VLA‐α6 is relevant for the adhesion to type‐IV collagen, fibronectin and laminin respectively. Culture of tumor cells in the presence of cytokines such as rIL‐1β, rTNF‐α, rIFN‐γ or TGF‐β could induce up‐ or down‐modulation in the level of expression of multiple VLA integrins. Cytokine‐mediated antigenic shifts in the VLA profile of melanoma cells were detected by cytofluorimetric analysis as early as 24 hr after cytokine exposure. The cytokine‐dependent change in the matrix receptor profile of melanoma cells also affected the adhesion to ECM proteins as revealed by the enhanced adhesion of rTNF‐α‐treated cells to fibronectin. These data indicate that constitutive heterogeneity in the integrin profile or cytokine‐mediated shifts in VLA expression can affect the ability of human melanoma cells to interact with different ECM components.