Hyaluronic Acid of Low Molecular Weight Triggers the Invasive "Hummingbird" Phenotype on Gastric Cancer Cells. Issue 11 (5th October 2020)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Amorim, Sara; Soares da Costa, Diana; Pashkuleva, Iva; Reis, Celso A.; Reis, Rui L.; Pires, Ricardo A.
• Is Part Of: Advanced biosystems. Volume 4:Issue 11(2020)
• Page Start: n/a
• Page End: n/a
• Publication Date: 2020-10-05
• Subjects: cancer invasiveness -- hummingbird -- hyaluronic acid -- molecular weight; Biological systems -- Periodicals; Biotechnology -- Periodicals; Bioengineering -- Periodicals; Biomedical engineering -- Periodicals; Biological Science Disciplines; Periodicals; Periodicals; 660.6
• DOI: 10.1002/adbi.202000122
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 2366-7478

Abstract

Abstract: The overproduction and deposition of hyaluronic acid (HA) of different sizes in the tumor microenvironment is associated with cancer metastasis. Here, the development of layer‐by‐layer (LbL) constructs containing HA of different molecular weights (i.e., 5.6, 618, and 1450 kDa) that mimic the HA‐rich cancer extracellular matrix is described to study the effect of the HA's size on the behavior of gastric cancer cells (AGS). The results demonstrate that LbL constructs with short HA, i.e., 5.6 kDa, activate the cytoskeleton rearrangement leading to the "hummingbird" morphology, promote high cellular motility, and activate signaling pathways with increased expression of p‐ERK1/2 and p‐AKT. In addition, it is demonstrated that this malignant transformation involves an active participation of the HA coreceptor RHAMM in AGS cells. Abstract : The influence of hyaluronic acid (HA) of different molecular weights present on the extracellular matrix of cancer cells is studied. The HA of 5.6 kDa immobilized on a layer‐by‐layer surface activates the invasive "hummingbird phenotype" characterized by an elongated cell morphology linked with cancer invasiveness, whereas the HA of 1450 kDa inhibits the malignancy associated with the expression of Annexin 4.