H I T S  on anticancer metal-based compound discovery

Intra tumour NAMI-A treatment: CD44 regulation, TIL recruitment and metastasis reductions

by S. Pacor et al.; selected data from JPET 310:737-744, 2004

“invadopodia” (i.e. cellular structures involved in tumor cell motility) are markedly reduced in tumor cells of the treated animals as compared to controls (yellow arrows).
Reduction of "invadopodia" in tumor cells correlates with the decreased gelatinolitic activity measured inside primary tumor. It has been reported that MMP-9, in its proteolytically active form, is preferentially localized inside “invadopodia”.

NAMI-A down-regulates CD44 on aneuploid tumor cells, conversely it up-regulates CD54 on these neoplastic cells; ICAM-1 expression favors their recognition by host-lymphocytes (red arrow).

These data indicate the antimetastatic effects of i.t. given NAMI-A (see Table) dependent on the reduction of the malignant phenotype of tumor cells. To this effect also contributes NAMI-A’s lymphocyte recruitment from circulation and consequent inhibitory effects of these activated host cells.