Inhibition of tumor cell-induced platelet aggregation using a novel anti-podoplanin antibody reacting with its platelet-aggregation-stimulating domain

The mucin-type sialoglycoprotein, podoplanin (aggrus), is a platelet-aggregating factor on cancer cells. We previously described up-regulated expression of podoplanin in malignant astrocytic tumors including glioblastoma. Its expression was associated with tumor malignancy. In the present study, we investigated podoplanin expression and platelet-aggregating activities of glioblastoma cell lines. First, we established a highly reactive anti-podoplanin antibody, NZ-1, which inhibits podoplanin-induced platelet aggregation completely. Of 15 glioblastoma cell lines, LN319 highly expressed podoplanin and induced platelet aggregation. Glycan profiling using a lectin microarray showed that podoplanin on LN319 possesses sialic acid, which is important in podoplanin-induced platelet aggregation. Interestingly, NZ-1 neutralized platelet aggregation by LN319. These results suggest that podoplanin is a main reason for platelet aggregation induced by LN319. We infer that NZ-1 is useful to determine whether platelet aggregation is podoplanin-specific or not. Furthermore, podoplanin might become a therapeutic target of glioblastoma for antibody-based therapy.