Expression of Adhesion Molecules by Bladder Cancer Cells: Modulation by Interferon-Gamma and Tumour Necrosis Factor-Alpha

Abstract

The constitutive expression by eight human bladder cancer cell lines of the cell adhesion molecules intercellular adhesion molecule-1 and intercellular adhesion molecule-2 was studied using monoclonal antibody probes in conjunction with flow-cytometry. Tumour lines of low grade (Gl) did not constitutively express intercellular adhesion molecule-1, rather they were found to express intercellular adhesion molecule-2. The G2 cells expressed no intercellular adhesion molecule-2, however, a low percentage did express intercellular adhesion molecule-1. High grade cells (G3) only expressed intercellular adhesion molecule-1 on their cell surface but at higher levels than the G2 cell line.Exposure of the bladder cancer cell lines to interferon-gamma induced and augmented the expression of intercellular adhesion molecule-1 by all except one of the cell lines (UMUC3). Intercellular adhesion molecule-2 expression remained unaltered. The modulation of intercellular adhesion molecule-1 expression was dependent on the concentration of interferon-gamma and the duration of stimulus. De novo intercellular adhesion molecule-1 expression, induced by interferon-gamma, was rapid (<4hours) with only a short period of stimulation being required (<10seconds). The rapid increase in expression of intercellular adhesion molecule-1 required de novo protein synthesis and was not the result of release of intercellular adhesion molecule-1 from an intracellular pool.Interferon-gamma and tumour necrosis factor-alpha were found to act synergistically in the induction and augmentation of intercellular adhesion molecule-1 expression. Optimal induction occurred with 10Uml.−1 of both molecules.These results suggest a correlation between constitutive adhesion molecule expression and the histopathological grade of the tumour. The implications of these findings for Bacillus Calmette Guerin and interferon-gamma immunotherapy of bladder cancer is discussed.