1. ¹Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, West Middlesex University Hospital, Twickenham Road, Isleworth TW7 6AF, UK
2. ²Royal Marsden Hospital, Fulham Road, London SW3 6JJ, UK
3. ³Institute of Cancer Research, 237 Fulham Road, London SW3 6JB, UK
4. ⁴Cancer Research UK, London Research Institute, 44 Lincoln's Inn Fields, London WC2A 3PX, UK

Correspondence: Dr E Sahai, E-mail: Erik.Sahai@cancer.org.uk

Received 5 April 2004; Revised 23 August 2004; Accepted 18 October 2004; Published online 14 December 2004.

Abstract

Integrin 1 is both overexpressed and in an 'active' conformation in vulval squamous cell carcinomas (VSCCs) compared to matched normal skin. To investigate the significance of integrin 1 deregulation we stably knocked-down integrin 1 expression in the VSCC cell line A431. In vitro analysis revealed that integrin 1 is required for cell adhesion, cell spreading and invasion. However, integrin 1 is not required for cell growth or activation of FAK and ERK signalling in vitro or in vivo. Strikingly, while control tumours were able to invade the dermis, integrin 1 knockdown tumours were significantly more encapsulated and less invasive.