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(American Journal of Pathology. 2006;168:280-291.)
© 2006 American Society for Investigative Pathology

Adrenomedullin Is a Cross-Talk Molecule that Regulates Tumor and Mast Cell Function during Human Carcinogenesis

Enrique Zudaire^*, Alfredo Martínez, Mercedes Garayoa, Rubén Pío, Gurmeet Kaur^¶, Michael R. Woolhiser^||, Dean D. Metcalfe^||, William A. Hook^**, Reuben P. Siraganian^**, Theresa A. Guise, John M. Chirgwin and Frank Cuttitta^*

From the Cell and Cancer Biology Branch,^* Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, Bethesda, Maryland; the Department of Neuroanatomy and Cell Biology, Instituto Cajal, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas, Madrid, Spain; the Cellular and Pathology and Biochemistry Departments, Center for Applied Medical Research, University of Navarra, Pamplona, Spain; the Biological Testing Branch,^¶ Division of Cancer Treatment and Diagnosis, National Cancer Institute/Frederick Cancer Research and Development Center, Frederick, Maryland; the Laboratory of Allergic Diseases,^|| National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, Bethesda, Maryland; the Receptor and Signal Transduction Section,^** Oral Infection and Immunology Branch, National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research, Bethesda, Maryland; and the Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Endocrinology, University of Virginia Health System, Charlottesville, Virginia

We have previously demonstrated that adrenomedullin (AM) plays a critical role as an autocrine/paracrine tumor cell survival factor. We now present evidence that AM is an important regulator of mast cell (MC) function and that this modulation is potentially involved in tumor promotion. AM induced histamine or ß-hexosaminidase release from rat and human MCs through a receptor-independent pathway. AM was chemotactic for human MCs and stimulated mRNA expression of vascular endothelial growth factor, monocyte chemoattractant protein-1, and basic fibroblast growth factor in this cell type. Differentiated but not undifferentiated human MCs responded to hypoxic insult with elevated AM mRNA/protein expression. Using confocal microscopy, we identified AM-producing MCs in tumor infiltrates of human breast and lung cancer patients. In mixed culture assays the AM-producing human MC line HMC-1 augmented both anchorage-dependent and -independent growth of human lung cancer A549 cells, an effect that was suppressed by MC-targeted siRNA AM knockdown. Finally, HMC-1 cells induced in vivo angiogenesis as assessed by directed in vivo angiogenesis assay analysis; neutralizing anti-AM monoclonal antibody blocked this ability. Our collective data suggest a new role for AM as a cross-talk molecule that integrates tumor and MC communication, underlying a unique promotion mechanism of human cancers.

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