Investigate A2M treatment on human prostate cancer xenograft in mice

Cancer resistance is a major cause for longevity of the naked mole-rat. Recent liver transcriptome analysis in this animal compared to wild-derived mice revealed higher expression of alpha2-macroglobulin (A2M) and cell adhesion molecules, which contribute to the naked mole-rat’s cancer resistance. Notably, A2M is known to dramatically decrease with age in humans. We hypothesize that this might facilitate tumor development. Here we found that A2M modulates tumor cell adhesion, migration and growth by inhibition of tumor promoting signalling pathways, e.g. PI3K / AKT, SMAD and up-regulated PTEN via down-regulation of miR-21, in vitro and in tumor xenografts. A2M increases the expression of CD29 and CD44 but did not evoke EMT. Transcriptome analysis of A2M-treated tumor cells, xenografts and mouse liver demonstrated a multifaceted regulation of tumor promoting signalling pathways indicating a less tumorigenic environment mediated by A2M. By virtue of these multiple actions the naturally occurring A2M has strong potential as a novel therapeutic agent.