Carcinoembryonic antigen-related cell adhesion molecule 6 (CEACAM6) promotes EGF receptor signaling of oral squamous cell carcinoma metastasis via the complex N-glycosylation

Oncogene. 2018 Jan 4;37(1):116-127. doi: 10.1038/onc.2017.303. Epub 2017 Sep 11.

Abstract

Aberrant protein glycosylation could be a distinct surface-marker of cancer cells that influences cancer progression and metastasis because glycosylation can regulate membrane protein folding which alters receptor activation and changes epitope exposure for antibody (Ab) recognition. Carcinoembryonic antigen-related cell adhesion molecule 6 (CEACAM6), a glycophosphoinositol-anchored protein, is a heavily glycosylated tumor antigen. However, the clinical significance and biological effect of CEACAM6 glycosylation has not been addressed in cancers. We recently developed an anti-CEACAM6 Ab (TMU) from an immune llama library which can be engineered to a single-domain (sd)Ab or a heavy-chain (HC)Ab. The TMU HCAb specifically recognized glycosylated CEACAM6 compared to the conventional antibodies. Using the TMU HCAb, we found that glycosylated CEACAM6 was a tumor marker associated with recurrence in early-stage OSCC (oral squamous cell carcinoma) patients. CEACAM6 promoted OSCC cell invasion, migration, cytoskeletal rearrangement, and metastasis via interaction with epidermal growth factor (EGF) receptor (EGFR) and enhancing EGFR activation, clustering and intracellular signaling cascades. These functions were modulated by N-acetylglucosaminyltransferase 5 (MGAT5) which mediated N-glycosylation at Asn256 (N256) of CEACAM6. Finally, the TMU sdAb and HCAb treatment inhibited the migration, invasion and EGF-induced signaling in CEACAM6-overexpressing cells. In conclusion, the complex N-glycosylation of CEACAM6 is critical for EGFR signaling of OSCC invasion and metastasis. Targeting glycosylated CEACAM6 with the TMU sdAb or TMU HCAb could be a feasible therapy for OSCC.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Animals
  • Antigens, CD / genetics
  • Antigens, CD / metabolism*
  • Asparagine / metabolism
  • Biomarkers, Tumor / genetics
  • Biomarkers, Tumor / metabolism
  • Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / pathology*
  • Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / secondary
  • Cell Adhesion Molecules / genetics
  • Cell Adhesion Molecules / metabolism*
  • Cell Line, Tumor
  • Cell Movement
  • ErbB Receptors / genetics
  • ErbB Receptors / metabolism*
  • GPI-Linked Proteins / genetics
  • GPI-Linked Proteins / metabolism
  • Glycosylation
  • Humans
  • Lung Neoplasms / pathology*
  • Lung Neoplasms / secondary
  • Male
  • Mice
  • Mice, SCID
  • Mouth Neoplasms / pathology*
  • N-Acetylglucosaminyltransferases / genetics
  • N-Acetylglucosaminyltransferases / metabolism
  • Neoplasm Invasiveness / pathology
  • Neoplasm Recurrence, Local / pathology*
  • Neoplasm Staging
  • RNA, Small Interfering / metabolism
  • Signal Transduction
  • Xenograft Model Antitumor Assays

Substances

  • Antigens, CD
  • Biomarkers, Tumor
  • CEACAM6 protein, human
  • Cell Adhesion Molecules
  • GPI-Linked Proteins
  • RNA, Small Interfering
  • Asparagine
  • Mgat5 protein, human
  • N-Acetylglucosaminyltransferases
  • EGFR protein, human
  • ErbB Receptors