Dataset Information

Fibronectin mediates activation of stromal fibroblasts by SPARC in endometrial cancer cells.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Matricellular glycoprotein, SPARC is a secreted molecule, that mediates the interaction between cells and extracellular matrix. SPARC functions as a regulator of matrix organization and modulates cell behavior. In various kinds of cancer, strong SPARC expression was observed in stromal tissues as well as in cancer epithelial cells. The function of SPARC in cancer cells is somewhat controversial and its impact on peritumoral stromal cells remains to be resolved.

Methods

We investigated the effects of SPARC expression in endometrial cancer cells on the surrounding stromal fibroblasts using in vitro co-culture system. Changes in characteristics of fibroblasts were examined by analysis of fibroblast-specific markers and in vitro contraction assay.

Results

SPARC induced AKT phosphorylation and epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition, consistent with previous reports. Cancer-associated fibroblasts of endometrial cancer expressed higher levels of mesenchymal- and fibroblast-associated factors and had a stronger contraction ability. Unexpectedly, cancer-associated fibroblasts expressed comparable levels of SPARC compared with fibroblasts from normal endometrium. However, co-culture of normal fibroblasts with SPARC-expressing Ishikawa cells resulted in activation of the fibroblasts. Immunodepletion of SPARC did not affect the activation of fibroblasts.

Conclusions

Our data indicated that SPARC activated fibroblasts only in the presence of fibronectin, which was abundantly secreted from SPARC-expressing endometrial cancer cells. These results suggested that a SPARC-fibronectin-mediated activation of fibroblasts might be involved in enhanced mobility and invasion of cancer cells.

SUBMITTER: Yoshida S

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7881467 | biostudies-literature | 2021 Feb

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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Publications

Fibronectin mediates activation of stromal fibroblasts by SPARC in endometrial cancer cells.

Yoshida Sachiko S Asanoma Kazuo K Yagi Hiroshi H Onoyama Ichiro I Hori Emiko E Matsumura Yumiko Y Okugawa Kaoru K Yahata Hideaki H Kato Kiyoko K

BMC cancer 20210212 1

<h4>Background</h4>Matricellular glycoprotein, SPARC is a secreted molecule, that mediates the interaction between cells and extracellular matrix. SPARC functions as a regulator of matrix organization and modulates cell behavior. In various kinds of cancer, strong SPARC expression was observed in stromal tissues as well as in cancer epithelial cells. The function of SPARC in cancer cells is somewhat controversial and its impact on peritumoral stromal cells remains to be resolved.<h4>Methods</h4> ...[more]

PMID: 33579227

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Project description:Endometrial cancer is the most commonly diagnosed gynecologic malignancy worldwide; yet the tumor microenvironment, especially the fibroblast cells surrounding the cancer cells, is poorly understood. We established four primary cultures of fibroblasts from human endometrial cancer tissues (cancer-associated fibroblasts, CAFs) using antibody-conjugated magnetic bead isolation. These relatively homogenous fibroblast cultures expressed fibroblast markers (CD90, vimentin and alpha-smooth muscle actin) and hormonal (estrogen and progesterone) receptors. Conditioned media collected from CAFs induced a dose-dependent proliferation of both primary cultures and cell lines of endometrial cancer in vitro (175%) when compared to non-treated cells, in contrast to those from normal endometrial fibroblast cell line (51%) (P<0.0001). These effects were not observed in fibroblast culture derived from benign endometrial hyperplasia tissues, indicating the specificity of CAFs in affecting endometrial cancer cell proliferation. To determine the mechanism underlying the differential fibroblast effects, we compared the activation of PI3K/Akt and MAPK/Erk pathways in endometrial cancer cells following treatment with normal fibroblasts- and CAFs-conditioned media. Western blot analysis showed that the expression of both phosphorylated forms of Akt and Erk were significantly down-regulated in normal fibroblasts-treated cells, but were up-regulated/maintained in CAFs-treated cells. Treatment with specific inhibitors LY294002 and U0126 reversed the CAFs-mediated cell proliferation (P<0.0001), suggesting for a role of these pathways in modulating endometrial cancer cell proliferation. Rapamycin, which targets a downstream molecule in PI3K pathway (mTOR), also suppressed CAFs-induced cell proliferation by inducing apoptosis. Cytokine profiling analysis revealed that CAFs secrete higher levels of macrophage chemoattractant protein (MCP)-1, interleukin (IL)-6, IL-8, RANTES and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) than normal fibroblasts. Our data suggests that in contrast to normal fibroblasts, CAFs may exhibit a pro-tumorigenic effect in the progression of endometrial cancer, and PI3K/Akt and MAPK/Erk signaling may represent critical regulators in how endometrial cancer cells respond to their microenvironment.

Project description:BACKGROUND:Adenomyosis is a medical condition defined by the abnormal presence of endometrial tissue within the myometrium, in which fibrosis occurs with new collagen deposition and myofibroblast differentiation. In this study, the effect of several mediators and growth factors on collagen expression was investigated on human endometrial stromal cells (fibroblasts) derived from adenomyotic endometrium. EXPERIMENTAL APPROACH:RT-PCR, Western blot analysis, pharmacological interventions and siRNA interference were applied to primary cultured human endometrial stromal cells (fibroblasts). Immunohistochemistry was used to analyze protein expression in adenomyotic endometrium tissue specimens. RESULTS:Of the tested mediators, transforming growth factor ?1 (TGF?1) and its isoforms were effective to induce collagen and connective tissue growth factor (CTGF) expression. Collagen and CTGF induction by TGF?1 could be reduced by the inhibitors targeting DNA transcription, protein translation, and Smad2/3 signaling. Interestingly, TGF?1 induced Smad2/3 phosphorylation and CTGF mRNA expression, but not collagen mRNA expression, suggesting that TGF?1 mediates collagen expression through CTGF induction and Smad2/3 activation. In parallel, TGF?1 and CTGF also induced expression of heat shock protein (HSP) 47, a protein required for the synthesis of several types of collagens. However, only CTGF siRNA knockdown, could compromise TGF?1-induced collagen expression. Finally, the immunohistochemistry revealed vimentin- and ?-SMA-positive staining for (myo)fibroblasts, TGF?1, collagen, and CTGF in the subepithelial stroma region of human adenomyotic endometria. CONCLUSION AND IMPLICATIONS:We reveal here that TGF?1, collagen, and CTGF are expressed in the stroma of adenomyotic endometria and demonstrate that TGF?1 can induce collagen production in endometrium-derived fibroblasts through cellular Smad2/3-dependent signaling pathway and CTGF expression, suggesting that endometrial TGF? may take part in the pathogenesis of adenomyosis and ectopic endometrium may participate in uterine adenomyosis.

Dataset Information

Fibronectin mediates activation of stromal fibroblasts by SPARC in endometrial cancer cells.

Background

Methods

Results

Conclusions

Publications

Fibronectin mediates activation of stromal fibroblasts by SPARC in endometrial cancer cells.

Similar Datasets

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