INHIBITION OF TUMOR-GROWTH IN-VIVO BY HYALURONAN OLIGOMERS

One of the critical events in tumor growth and metastasis is the inter action between tumor cells and host tissue stroma, mediated by differe nt adhesion receptor repertoires in different tumor cell types. Severa l lines of evidence indicate that interaction between the hyaluronan r eceptor CD44, expressed on tumor cells, and host tissue stromal hyalur onan can enhance growth and invasiveness of certain tumors. Disruption of CD44-hyaluronan interaction by soluble recombinant CD44 has been s hown to inhibit tumor formation by lymphoma and melanoma cells transfe cted with CD44. Since hyaluronan is a ubiquitous glycosaminoglycan pol ymer from which oligosaccharides of defined size can be readily purifi ed, we tested the ability of hyaluronan oligomers to inhibit tumor for mation by subcutaneously (s.c.) injected B16F10 melanoma cells. Our re sults indicate that hyaluronan oligomers injected at concentrations as low as 1 mg/ml can markedly inhibit B16F10 melanoma growth, providing a potentially attractive reagent for the control of local tumor devel opment. (C) 1998 Wiley-Liss, Inc.