Inhibition of Sialylation Impairs Adhesion on Madcam-1 and E-Selectin and Sensitize Multiple Myeloma Cells to Bortezomib in a Xenograft Mouse Model

Introduction

Multiple myeloma (MM) is a cancer of clonal plasma cells that hijack the bone marrow (BM) niche to create a drug resistant, incurable malignancy. Aberrant sialylation has been linked to immune cell evasion, drug resistance, and metastasis in cancer; indeed sialyltransferases, including ST3GAL1, ST3GAL4 and ST3GAL6, are aberrantly expressed in many cancers (Glavey et al., 2014). We have previously shown that targeting ST3GAL6 in MM cells inhibits their ability to extravasate and colonize the BM in mouse models (Glavey et al., 2014). Moreover, we also showed that a subpopulation of MM cells expresses functional E-Selectin ligands which, upon expansion, gives rise to a more aggressive disease and resistance to bortezomib in mice (Natoni et al., 2017). Based off these findings, we herein investigated whether inhibiting sialylation in E-selectin-enriched MM cells with 3Fax-Neu5Ac, a small molecule sialyltransferase inhibitor, could alter the ability of these cells to home in the BM and restore bortezomib sensitivity in vivo. We hypothesized that inhibiting homing of MM cells to the BM will improve survival and that co-treatment with bortezomib and 3Fax-Neu5Ac will have a synergistic effect.

Methods

E-selectin ligands enriched MM1S cells (either positive or negative for GFP/Luciferase) were derived from parental cells by cell sorting using the HECA-452 antibody, which recognize sialofucosylated E-selectin ligands. We then determined the 3Fax-Neu5Ac dose and exposure times needed to decrease sialylation on these MM cells without causing toxicity. HECA-452-enriched MM1S cells were pretreated with 3Fax-Neu5Ac or vehicle for 7 days before being injected into SCID-beige mice and then treated with vehicle or bortezomib (0.3 mg/kg twice a week). Mice were analyzed via bioluminescence imaging (BLI) to monitor tumor progression and weighed twice a week. Mice were euthanized when they began to show paralysis under our IACUC protocol. 3Fax-Neu5Ac pretreated HECA-452 MM1S cells were also tested in vitro for their ability to adhere and roll on VCAM-1, MAdCAM-1 and E-Selectin under shear stress and to respond to bortezomib in co-culture with HS5 cells.

Results

Treatment of HECA-452 MM1S cells with 3Fax-Neu5Ac, at 300 μM for 7 days significantly reduced sialylation on these cells. Importantly, reducing sialylation with 3Fax-Neu5AC reduced tumor burden and increased survival, although this did not reach significance for survival (Figure 1A). Both vehicle- and 3Fax-Neu5Ac-treated cells significantly responded to bortezomib in the first 5 weeks of the in vivo study (Figure 1B). However, the HECA-452 MM1S cells did not show increased survival when treated with bortezomib suggesting an acquired mechanism of resistance in vivo. Importantly, pretreatment of the HECA-452 MM1S with 3Fax-Neu5Ac could improve survival of these mice preventing bortezomib resistance. In vitro, the HS5 stromal cells protected the HECA-452 MM1S cells from bortezomib and pretreatment with 3Fax-Neu5Ac partially reverted this protection. Moreover, the HECA-452 MM1S cells pretreated with 3Fax-Neu5Ac displayed reduced adhesion on MAdCAM-1 and E-selectin.

Conclusions

Sialylation plays an instrumental role in bone homing, BM colonization, and drug resistance of MM cells. Pretreatment of HECA-452 MM1S cells with 3Fax-Neu5Ac decreased their sialylation, restored sensitivity to bortezomib in vivo and prolonged survival in mice. This is likely because 3Fax-Neu5Ac pretreatment has multiple effects on MM cells including reducing cell adhesion mediated-drug resistance and adhesion to key molecules involved in BM homing such as MAdCAM-1 and E-selectin. The reduced adhesion on E-selectin is most likely due to the disruption of E-selectin ligands on the surface of MM cells as they require Sialyl Lewis X to function. Notably, we also found that de-sialylation impairs adhesion on MAdCAM-1 (3Fax-Neu5Ac vs DMSO P=0.038) which, together with E-selectin, is another critical BM homing receptor. This data suggests for the first time that sialylation may controls the affinity of integrin α4β7 and its counter-receptor MAdCAM-1. In turn, this would reduce BM homing and increase MM cells in the circulation were they are more prone to the cytotoxic effects of bortezomib. This study supports the importance of targeting sialylation in MM and provides a strong rationale for further clinical translation of this novel approach.

View largeDownload slide

View largeDownload slide

Close modal