Dataset Information

Recruitment of normal stem cells to an oncogenic phenotype by noncontiguous carcinogen-transformed epithelia depends on the transforming carcinogen.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Cancer stem cells (CSCs) drive tumor initiation, progression, and metastasis. The microenvironment is critical to the fate of CSCs. We have found that a normal stem cell (NSC) line from human prostate (WPE-stem) is recruited into CSC-like cells by nearby, but noncontiguous, arsenic-transformed isogenic malignant epithelial cells (MECs).

Objective

It is unknown whether this recruitment of NSCs into CSCs by noncontact co-culture is specific to arsenic-transformed MECs. Thus, we used co-culture to examine the effects of neighboring noncontiguous cadmium-transformed MECs (Cd-MECs) and N-methyl-N-nitrosourea-transformed MECs (MNU-MECs) on NSCs.

Results

After 2 weeks of noncontact Cd-MEC co-culture, NSCs showed elevated metalloproteinase-9 (MMP-9) and MMP-2 secretion, increased invasiveness, increased colony formation, decreased PTEN expression, and formation of aggressive, highly branched duct-like structures from single cells in Matrigel, all characteristics typical of cancer cells. These oncogenic characteristics did not occur in NSCs co-cultured with MNU-MECs. The NSCs co-cultured with Cd-MECs retained self-renewal capacity, as evidenced by multiple passages (> 3) of structures formed in Matrigel. Cd-MEC-co-cultured NSCs also showed molecular (increased VIM, SNAIL1, and TWIST1 expression; decreased E-CAD expression) and morphologic evidence of epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition typical for conversion to CSCs. Dysregulated expression of SC-renewal genes, including ABCG2, OCT-4, and WNT-3, also occurred in NSCs during oncogenic transformation induced by noncontact co-culture with Cd-MECs.

Conclusions

These data indicate that Cd-MECs can recruit nearby NSCs into a CSC-like phenotype, but MNU-MECs do not. Thus, the recruitment of NSCs into CSCs by nearby MECs is dependent on the carcinogen originally used to malignantly transform the MECs.

SUBMITTER: Xu Y

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3734505 | biostudies-literature | 2013 Aug

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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Publications

Recruitment of normal stem cells to an oncogenic phenotype by noncontiguous carcinogen-transformed epithelia depends on the transforming carcinogen.

Xu Yuanyuan Y Tokar Erik J EJ Person Rachel J RJ Orihuela Ruben G RG Ngalame Ntube N O NN Waalkes Michael P MP

Environmental health perspectives 20130517 8

<h4>Background</h4>Cancer stem cells (CSCs) drive tumor initiation, progression, and metastasis. The microenvironment is critical to the fate of CSCs. We have found that a normal stem cell (NSC) line from human prostate (WPE-stem) is recruited into CSC-like cells by nearby, but noncontiguous, arsenic-transformed isogenic malignant epithelial cells (MECs).<h4>Objective</h4>It is unknown whether this recruitment of NSCs into CSCs by noncontact co-culture is specific to arsenic-transformed MECs. Th ...[more]

PMID: 23687063

Similar Datasets

Project description:BackgroundCancer stem cells (CSCs) are likely critical to carcinogenesis, and, like normal stem cells (NSCs), are affected by microenvironmental factors. Malignant cells release extracellular factors, modifying tumor behavior. Inorganic arsenic, a human carcinogen, is associated with an overproduction of CSCs in various model systems of carcinogenesis.ObjectiveWe aimed to determine if NSCs are influenced by nearby arsenic-transformed malignant epithelial cells (MECs) as a possible factor in arsenic-associated CSC overabundance.MethodsTranswell noncontact co-culture allowed the study of the effects of non-contiguous, arsenic-transformed prostate MECs on the isogenic human prostate NSC line, WPE-stem. Cancer phenotype was assessed by evaluating secreted matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs), invasiveness, colony formation, and spheroid formation. Gene expression was assessed at the protein (Western blot) or mRNA (real-time reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction) levels.ResultsNoncontact co-culture of MECs and NSCs rapidly (? 3 weeks) caused hypersecretion of MMPs and marked suppression of the tumor suppressor gene PTEN in NSCs. NSCs co-cultured with MECs also showed increased invasiveness and clonogenicity and formed more free-floating spheroids and highly branched ductal-like structures in Matrigel, all typical for CSCs. MEC co-culture caused dysregulated self-renewal and differentiation-related gene expression patterns and epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition in NSCs consistent with an acquired cancer phenotype. Interleukin-6 (IL-6), a cytokine involved in tumor microenvironment control, was hypersecreted by MECs, and IL-6 exposure of NSCs resulted in the duplication of several responses in NSCs of conversion to CSCs via MEC co-culture (e.g., MMP hypersecretion, decreased PTEN).ConclusionsArsenic-transformed MECs recruit nearby NSCs into a cancer phenotype, thereby potentially increasing CSC number. This may be a factor in arsenic-induced CSC overabundance seen in multiple model systems.

Dataset Information

Recruitment of normal stem cells to an oncogenic phenotype by noncontiguous carcinogen-transformed epithelia depends on the transforming carcinogen.

Background

Objective

Results

Conclusions

Publications

Recruitment of normal stem cells to an oncogenic phenotype by noncontiguous carcinogen-transformed epithelia depends on the transforming carcinogen.

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