Migration and adhesion of tumor cells are essential prerequisites for the formation of metastases in malignant diseases. Chemokine receptor 7 (CCR7) has been shown to regulate integrin which can then facilitate adhesion of cancer cells to and/or migration through the extracellular matrix (ECM). In order to identify the connection between CCR7 and β1 integrin, and the influence on cell adhesion and migration in metastatic squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck (SCCHN). We use adhesion assays, migration assay, immunofluorescence staining, western blotting, and immunohistochemical analysis to find whether β1 integrin can be activated by CCL19 (CCR7's ligand) and its role in SCCHN. The experiments were performed in the metastatic SCCHN cell line PCI-37B after pre-incubation of the cells with CCL19 and β1 integrin inhibitors RGD-peptide. Our results demonstrate that CCR7 favours PCI-37B cell adhesion and migration, and induces reorganization of the actin cytoskeleton and up-expression of β1 integrin protein. β1 integrin inhibitor RGD-peptide can block all these effects. Taken together, our data indicate that CCR7 regulate cell adhesion and migration via β1 integrin in metastatic SCCHN, and these results can provide a basis for new strategies in preventing metastases of SCCHN.

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