Abstract:

Objective To investigate the effects of glutamate receptor signaling on melanoma cell dendrite morphology and cytoskeleton protein. Methods A metastatic human malignant melanoma cell line WM451LU was cultured and transfected by recombinant adenovirus vector carrying a cDNA encoding microtubule-associated protein 2a（MAP2a）. MK-801, an antagonist of N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor （NMDAR）, and CPCCOEt, an antagonist of metabotropic glutamate receptor 1 （mGluR1）, were used to treat transfected or untransfected WM451LU cells. Confocal microscopy and three dimensional atomic force microscopy were used to assess subcellular location of NMDAR2A, mGluR1 and MAP2a as well as the distribution of α-tubulin in and dendrite morphology of WM451LU cells. The proliferation of WM451LU cells was estimated by cell survival growth curve. Results Confocal laser microscopy revealed that NMDAR2A, mGluR1 and MAP2a were mainly co-localized in melanoma cell dendrites. Both MK-801 and CPCCOEt increased the density of microtubules in cell dendrites and dendritic branching of WM451LU cells, and both effects of MK-801 and CPCCOEt were enhanced by the expression of MAP2a. Furthermore, the proliferation of WM451LU cells was significantly inhibited by MK-801 of 100 μmol/L and CPCCOEt of 10 μmol/L. Conclusions In melanoma cells, glutamate receptors may participate in the development of dendrites, and anta- gonists of glutamate receptors could inhibit the proliferation of melanoma cells.