Subpopulations of uPAR+ contribute to vasculogenic mimicry and metastasis in large cell lung cancer

The urokinase plasminogen activator receptor (uPAR) is closely associated with poor prognosis in various aggressive cancers including large-cell lung cancer (LCLC). Vasculogenic mimicry (VM) refers to the unique capability of aggressive tumor cells to mimic the pattern of embryonic vasculogenic networks involving the blood supply in early tumor formation. We demonstrate the statistically positive correlation of uPAR expression with VM formation, metastasis, and poor prognosis of LCLC patients. uPAR+ cells sorted from the LCLC H460 cell line show higher invasion, migration capacity, and tube structure formation capability on Matrigel compared with uPAR− cells. uPAR+ tumor cells highly expressed vimentin and VE-cadherin; the epithelial marker E-cadherin was low expressed. Higher EMT-regulated protein twist and snail expressions were also observed in these cells. uPAR+ cells injected subcutaneously into nude mice markedly increased tumor growth, induced VM formation and liver metastasis; by contrast, uPAR− cells did not. The data suggest that uPAR expression may predict VM formation, tumor metastasis and poorer prognosis of LCLC patients. The uPAR gene may be used as a novel therapeutic target for inhibiting angiogenesis and metastasis in LCLC. •uPAR expression correlated with TNM stage, metastasis and prognosis of LCLC patients.•uPAR expression positively correlated with VM formation in LCLC specimens.•uPAR+ cells show higher tube structure formation capability compared with uPAR− cells.•uPAR+ cells highly expressed vimentin, VE-cadherin, twist and snail, and low expressed E-cadherin.•uPAR+ cells increased tumor growth in nude mice, induced VM formation and metastasis.