Project description:The increased M-NM-1-smooth muscle-actin positive cancer-associated fibroblastic cells (CAF) in the desmoplastic stroma may relate to a more aggressive cancer and worse survival outcomes for intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (ICC) patients We developed a novel 3-D organotypic culture model by co-culturing M-NM-1-SMA positive CAF and cholangiocarcinoma cells in a collagen matrix. Cholangiocarcinoma cell lines were established by isolating M-NM-1-SMA positive cancer-associated fibroblastic cells (CAF) (BDEsp-TDFE4) and cholangiocarcinoma cells (BDEsp-TDEH10) from tumors arising from bile duct inoculation of spontaneously-transformed low grade malignant rat BDE1 cholangiocytes (BDEsp cells). These tumor-derived cells lines were then grown in a rat tail type I collagen gel matrix, alone or in co-culture, and their gene expression profile were compared.
Project description:Background: PTEN loss contributes to the development of many cancers and is associated with both hepatocellular carcinoma and cholangiocarcinoma. The pathogenesis of these malignancies is unclear, but they are speculated to arise from common cellular origins. We explored the influence of secondary effects, like hypoxia signaling, through co-deletion of Pten and Vhl in a murine model.Methods: We used a CreER-linked keratin 18 mouse model to conditionally delete Pten, Vhl or both, evaluating the resultant tumors by histology and gene expression microarray. A cohort of human cholangiocarcinoma samples was evaluated for relationships between HIF-1a expression and clinical outcomes.Results: Both Pten deletion genotypes developed liver tumors, but with differing phenotypes. Pten deletion alone led to large, invasive tumors with widespread hepatosteatosis. Co-deletion of Pten and Vhl resulted in low tumor burden and reduced steatosis. Microarray analysis divided mouse tumors’ respective genotypes by gene expression. This gene expression profile grouped a human tumor cohort according to histologic type with the Pten deletion signature aligning with hepatocellular carcinoma, whereas the Pten; Vhl deletion signature associated with cholangiocarcinomas. In a human cholangiocarcinoma cohort, we observed correlation between HIF-1a expression and overall survival.Conclusions: Pten deletion leads to tumor formation and steatosis in mouse livers. Co-deletion of Vhl and Pten resulted in lower tumor burden with gene expression profiling suggesting a switch from hepatocellular expression features to an expression profile more consistent with cholangiocarinoma. A possible relation between HIF-1a expression and increased overall survival in human cholangiocarcinoma suggests that hypoxia signaling influences tumor phenotype. reference x sample
Project description:Cholangiocarcinoma is a cancer of the hepatic bile ducts that is typically detected at a stage too advanced for resection. Additionally, chemotherapy is of limited efficacy, hence, novel therapeutic approaches are urgently required, including targeting of the cancer stroma. A macrophage-derived signal, tumour necrosis factor-like weak inducer of apoptosis (TWEAK), binds to cell-surface fibroblast growth factor-inducible 14 (Fn14), on cholangiocarcinoma cells to induce cytokine and chemokine expression and secretion. These TWEAK-inducible factors from cholangiocarcinoma cells can also affect macrophage polarisation. We characterised proteins secreted by four well-characterised human cholangiocarcinoma cell lines in the presence or absence of recombinant human TWEAK (100 ng/ml), to discover novel TWEAK-inducible factors that could drive pro-tumour niche formation.