Galectin-1 suppression delineates a new strategy to inhibit myeloma-induced angiogenesis and tumoral growth in vivo

Leukemia. 2016 Dec;30(12):2351-2363. doi: 10.1038/leu.2016.137. Epub 2016 May 20.

Abstract

Galectin-1 (Gal-1) is involved in tumoral angiogenesis, hypoxia and metastases. Actually the Gal-1 expression profile in multiple myeloma (MM) patients and its pathophysiological role in MM-induced angiogenesis and tumoral growth are unknown. In this study, we found that Gal-1 expression by MM cells was upregulated in hypoxic conditions and that stable knockdown of hypoxia inducible factor-1α significantly downregulated its expression. Therefore, we performed Gal-1 inhibition using lentivirus transfection of shRNA anti-Gal-1 in human myeloma cell lines (HMCLs), and showed that its suppression modified transcriptional profiles in both hypoxic and normoxic conditions. Interestingly, Gal-1 inhibition in MM cells downregulated proangiogenic genes, including MMP9 and CCL2, and upregulated the antiangiogenic ones SEMA3A and CXCL10. Consistently, Gal-1 suppression in MM cells significantly decreased their proangiogenic properties in vitro. This was confirmed in vivo, in two different mouse models injected with HMCLs transfected with anti-Gal-1 shRNA or the control vector. Gal-1 suppression in both models significantly reduced tumor burden and microvascular density as compared with the control mice. Moreover, Gal-1 suppression induced smaller lytic lesions on X-ray in the intratibial model. Overall, our data indicate that Gal-1 is a new potential therapeutic target in MM blocking angiogenesis.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Cell Hypoxia
  • Cell Line, Tumor
  • Cell Proliferation
  • Galectin 1 / antagonists & inhibitors
  • Galectin 1 / metabolism*
  • Humans
  • Mice
  • Multiple Myeloma / blood supply
  • Multiple Myeloma / pathology*
  • Neovascularization, Pathologic / drug therapy*
  • RNA, Small Interfering / pharmacology
  • Transfection
  • Tumor Burden / drug effects

Substances

  • Galectin 1
  • RNA, Small Interfering