CAR expressing clones were established from RD cells by stable transfection. Flow cytometry was used to evaluate the expression of CAR and integrins. Adhesion was measured in plates previously coated with vitronectin or fibronectin. Boyden chambers were used to investigate migration. Transfection of cells with siRNA was used to achieve integrin silencing. Ad5-mediated transgene expression was measured by β-gal staining.
Increased expression of CAR in RD cells reduces the expression of x3b1;vβ3 and x3b1;vβ5 integrins. Cells overexpressing CAR exhibit significantly reduced adhesion to vitronectin and fibronectin, and reduced cell migration. Specifically silencing x3b1;vβ3 integrin in RD cells reduced cell migration indicating that reduced migration could be the consequence of x3b1;vβ3 integrin downregulation. This study also demonstrates the negative effect of reduced levels of x3b1;vβ3 and x3b1;vβ5 integrins on Ad5-mediated transgene expression with Ad5 retargeted to x3b1;v integrins.
The pharmacological upregulation of CAR aimed to increase Ad5-mediated transgene expression may actually downregulate x3b1;vβ3 and x3b1;vβ5 integrins and thus alter Ad5-mediated gene transfer. The mechanism of decreased cell migration, a prerequisite for metastasis and invasion, due to increased CAR expression may be explained by reduced x3b1;vβ3 integrin expression.