Modulation of cellular bioenergetics by CO-releasing molecules and NO-donors inhibits the interaction of cancer cells with human lung microvascular endothelial cells

Interactions between cancer cells and the endothelium play a crucial role during metastasis. Here we examined the effects of a carbon monoxide-releasing molecule (CORM-401) and a nitric oxide donor (PAPA NONOate) given alone or in combination on breast cancer cell adhesion and transmigration across the lung microvascular endothelium. We further explored whether the effects of CO and NO on cancer-endothelial cells interactions are linked with changes in cellular bioenergetics in breast cancer or endothelial cells. We found that CORM-401 and PAPA NONOate alone or in combination markedly decreased transmigration of breast cancer cells across human lung microvascular endothelial cells (hLMVEC), while cancer cell adhesion to the endothelium was diminished only by a combination of the two compounds. In hLMVECs, CORM-401 decreased glycolysis and stimulated mitochondrial respiration, while in breast cancer cells CORM-401 decreased both glycolysis and mitochondrial respiration. In contrast, PAPA NONOate decreased mitochondrial respiration and slightly stimulated glycolysis in both cell lines. When both donors were given together, mitochondrial respiration and glycolysis were both profoundly inhibited, and cancer-endothelial cells interactions were additively suppressed. Intercellular adhesion molecule-1 (ICAM-1), involved in breast cancer cell adhesion to hLMVECs, was downregulated by CORM 401 and PAPA NONOate, when applied alone, while a combination of both compounds did not cause any enhancement of ICAM-1 downregulation. In conclusion, our findings demonstrate that CO and NO differently affect cellular bioenergetics of cancer and endothelial cells and suggest that this phenomenon may contribute to additive anti-adhesive and anti-transmigratory effects of CO and NO. Pharmacological attenuation of metabolism represents a novel, effective way to prevent cancer cell interactions with the endothelium, that is an energy demanding process.