An Epitope-Specific Novel Anti-EMMPRIN Polyclonal Antibody Inhibits Tumor Progression

Extracellular matrix metalloproteinase inducer (EMMPRIN/CD147) mediates tumor cell-macrophage interactions, and has been shown to induce both MMPs and VEGF. However, the epitope responsible for MMP induction is controversial, and the epitope responsible for VEGF induction is yet unknown. We generated a novel anti-EMMPRIN antibody directed against a specific epitope that successfully inhibited the production of both MMP-9 and VEGF in tumor cell-macrophage in vitro co-culture systems, exhibiting a U-shaped dose response. Furthermore, this antibody efficiently inhibited in vivo tumor progression in both the RENCA renal cell carcinoma and CT26 colon carcinoma tumor models. This was achieved by inhibiting angiogenesis as assessed by immunohistochemical staining for the endothelial marker CD31, by inhibiting tumor cell proliferation as assessed by the staining for Ki-67, and by enhancing tumor cell apoptosis as assessed in the TUNEL assay. Moreover, administration of the antibody recruited more macrophages into the tumor, and skewed the tumor microenvironment from TGFβ-dominated anti-inflammatory microenvironment, to a less immunosuppressive one. The antibody improved the ability of stimulated macrophages to perform antibody-dependent cell cytotoxicity (ADCC) and kill tumor cells. Thus, our antibody maps a novel epitope which is capable of inducing both MMPs and VEGF, and places EMMPRIN as a good target for cancer therapy.