Laminin receptor complementary DNA-deduced synthetic peptide inhibits cancer cell attachment to endothelium

Stable attachment of cancer cells to the endothelium is a key step in the formation of metastasis. In this study, we have investigated the possibility that interaction between laminin and its M_r 67,000 high-affinity receptor (67 LR) could play a major role in this process. Scatchard analysis of laminin-binding studies showed that bovine aortic endothelial cells exhibit 46,000 high-affinity receptors that mediate, at least in part, the attachment of highly invasive melanoma cells. This endothelial cell-melanoma cell interaction was significantly inhibited by soluble laminin and by anti-laminin antibodies. Peptide G, an eicosapeptide derived from the complementary DNA sequence of the 67 LR precursor (IPCNNKGAHSVGLMWWMLAR) that specifically binds to laminin and presumably contains the active ligand-binding site of the receptor, specifically prevented attachment of the melanoma cells to both the bovine aortic endothelial cell monolayer and human umbilical vein endothelium. Thus, peptide G may selectively interfere with the metastatic cascade by inhibiting tumor cell attachment to endothelium via the laminin-67 LR pathway and is a potential new antimetastatic agent.