CSP I-plus modified rEndostatin inhibits hepatocellular carcinoma metastasis via down-regulation of VEGFA and integrinβ1

BACKGROUND: In our previous study, N end of the Circumsporozoite protein (CSP I-plus) modified recombinant human Endostatin (rEndostatin, endostar) (rES-CSP) was constructed, which had antiangiogenic capability and bound to hepatocellular carcinoma in vivo and in vitro. In this study, the inhibition of rES-CSP on hepatocellular carcinoma metastasis was verified in vivo and in vitro, and its possible mechanism was explored. METHODS: Firstly, the impact of rES-CSP on the migration, adhesion of hepatoma cell HCCLM3 was identified by wound healing, transwell, and on metastasis of orthotopic xenograft model was identified in nude mouse. Then the expression of metastasis-associated molecules (MMP2, E-cadherin, integrinβ1) and angiogenesis-related factors (VEGFA) in vitro and in vivo were detected by real-time PCR, western blotting, immunohistochemistry. RESULTS: Finally, we found that rES-CSP could inhibit the migration and invasion of HCCLM3, and decrease tumor metastasis and growth in nude mouse orthotopic xenograft models. The tumor inhibiting rates of rES-CSP and Endostar were 42.46 ± 5.39% and 11.1 ± 1.88%. The lung metastasis rates of the control, Endostar and rES-CSP were 71, 50, and 42.8%, respectively. Compared with Endostar, rES-CSP significantly down-regulated the expression of VEGFA and integrinβ1. Heparin, a competitive inhibitor of CSP I-plus, which can be bind to the highly-sulfated heparan sulfate proteoglycans (HSPGs) over-expressed in liver and hepatocellular carcinoma, alleviated the down-regulation of VEGFA and integrinβ1. CONCLUSIONS: These indicate that rES-CSP may play a role in inhibiting tumor growth and metastasis by down-regulating the angiogenic factor VEGF and the metastasis-related molecules or by interfering with HSPGs-mediated tumor metastasis. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12885-022-10318-8.