Specific inhibition of fibroblast activation protein (FAP)-alpha prevents tumor progression in vitro.
Teichgräber VNational Center for Tumor Diseases, Department of Medical Oncology, University Hospital Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany. Electronic address: volker.teichgraeber@nct-heidelberg.de.
Monasterio CNational Center for Tumor Diseases, Department of Medical Oncology, University Hospital Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany.
Chaitanya KDivision of Oncology, University Hospital Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland.
Boger RNational Center for Tumor Diseases, Department of Medical Oncology, University Hospital Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany.
Gordon KNational Center for Tumor Diseases, Department of Medical Oncology, University Hospital Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany.
Dieterle TKantonsspital Liestal, Department of Medicine and Clinical Research, University Hospital Basel, Liestal, Switzerland.
Jäger DNational Center for Tumor Diseases, Department of Medical Oncology, University Hospital Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany.
Bauer SNational Center for Tumor Diseases, Department of Medical Oncology, University Hospital Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany.
English
PURPOSE Solid tumors modulate their environment to keep non-malignant stromal cells in a tumor-promoting state. The main cells in the stroma of epithelial derived tumors are cancer associated fibroblasts (CAF) that are critical to tumorigenesis and angiogenesis. CAFs also supply the tumor cells with growth factors and extracellular matrix (ECM) degrading enzymes. They are thus essential for tumor initiation as well as tumor progression and metastasis, suggesting that they represent an ideal cellular target of an integrative tumor therapy. Fibroblast activation protein (FAP) is a well-defined marker, expressed at high levels on the cell surface of CAFs. FAP, a constitutively active serine peptidase with both dipeptidyl peptidase IV (DPP IV) and collagenase/gelatinase activity, promotes malignant and invasive behavior of epithelial cancers. High stromal expression levels of FAP correlate with poor prognosis. FAP is difficult to detect in non-diseased adult tissue, but it is generally expressed at sites of tissue remodeling.
MATERIALS AND METHODS In our experiments, we aimed for a reduction of the pro-tumorigenic activities of CAFs by depleting FAP from fibroblasts growing in a composite environment with epithelial tumor cells.
RESULTS FAP depletion was achieved by two therapeutically relevant approaches: a novel internalizing anti-FAP IgG1 antibody and FAP gene knock-down by siRNA delivery. The antibody effectively removed FAP from the cell surface and was capable of reversing the FAP mediated migratory and invasive capacity. FAP RNA interference was equally effective when compared to the antibody.
CONCLUSIONS Thus, targeting FAP on CAF suppresses pro-tumorigenic activities and may result in a clinically effective reduction of tumor progression and dissemination.