Human mammary fibroblasts stimulate invasion of breast cancer cells in a three-dimensional culture and increase stroma development in mouse xenografts

INTRODUCTION: Tumour phenotype is regulated in a complex fashion as a result of interactions between malignant cells and the tumour stroma. Fibroblasts are the most abundant and perhaps most active part of the tumour stroma. A better understanding of the changes that occur in fibroblasts in response to the presence of malignant cells may lead to the development of new strategies for cancer treatment. We explored the effects of fibroblasts on the growth and invasion of mammary carcinoma tumour cells in vitro and in vivo. METHODS: In order to analyse secreted factors that affect invasive abilities of breast cancer cells we co-cultured human mammary fibroblasts (HMF3s) and cancer cells (MCF7S1) in three-dimensional (3D) growth conditions devoid of heterogeneous cell-cell contact. To study the possible influence of fibroblasts on MCF7S1 cancer cell growth in vivo we co-injected HMF3s and MCF7S1 cells in Balb/c nu/nu mice. RESULTS: In 3D co-culture both HMF3s and MCF7S1 cells demonstrated enhanced invasion into a Matrigel matrix. This was correlated with enhanced expression of the metastasis promoting S100A4 protein in fibroblasts, stimulation of the matrix metalloproteinase (MMP)-2 activity, and enhanced secretion of a range of different cytokines. Orthotopic injection of oestrogen-dependent MCF7S1 cancer cells together with fibroblasts showed stimulation of tumour growth in mice without an external oestrogen supply. The resulting tumours were characterized by increased development of extracellular matrix, as well as an increase of murine S100A4 concentration and activity of MMP-2 in the tumour interstitial fluid. CONCLUSION: Stimulation of the invasive phenotype of tumour cells in 3D co-cultures with fibroblasts could be correlated with increased production of S100A4 and MMP-2. We propose that enhanced development of mouse host-derived tumour stroma in a MCF7S1 co-injection xenograft model leads to oestrogen independency and is triggered by the initial presence of human fibroblasts

The metastasis-associated protein S100A4 promotes the inflammatory response of mononuclear cells via the TLR4 signalling pathway in rheumatoid arthritis

Objectives. S100A4 has been implicated in cancer and several inflammatory diseases, including RA. The aim of the present study was to determine whether S100A4 can stimulate proinflammatory cytokine production in mononuclear cells. Methods. Peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) isolated from patients with RA were stimulated with S100A4, S100A8, S100A9 and S100A12. The production of IL-1β, IL-6 and TNF-α was measured by ELISA. Receptor for advanced glycation end products (RAGEs) and Toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4) signalling were examined. For signalling pathway blocking studies, inhibitors of myeloid differentiation primary response gene 88 (MyD88), nuclear factor kappa B (NF-κB) and the mitogen activated protein (MAP) kinases p38, extracellular signal-regulated kinase 1/2 (ERK1/2) and Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK) were used. MAP kinase activation was evaluated by western blotting. Results. Stimulation of PBMCs with S100A4 significantly up-regulated IL-1β, IL-6 and TNF-α production compared with unstimulated cells (P < 0.001). Importantly, the production of these cytokines was markedly enhanced in response to S100A4 compared with S100A8 and S100A12; however, it was less pronounced compared with S100A9. Furthermore, enhanced production of proinflammatory cytokines in S100A4-stimulated PMBCs was at least partly mediated via TLR4, but not RAGEs, and by activation of the transcription factor NF-κB and the MAP kinases p38 and ERK1/2. Conclusion. This is the first study to demonstrate that S100A4 can induce an inflammatory response mediated by TLR4 and by the activation of NF-κB and the kinases p38 and ERK1/2 in mononuclear cells from patients with RA. Therefore S100A4 may be a potential therapeutic target for immune-mediated disease

The metastasis promoting protein S100A4 is increased in idiopathic inflammatory myopathies

Objectives. The S100A4 protein is known as a metastasis promoting factor; however, its involvement in non-malignant diseases such as RA and psoriasis has been recently described. The aim of this study was to investigate the expression and possible role of S100A4 in idiopathic inflammatory myopathies. Methods. S100A4 protein expression was detected by immunohistochemistry in muscle tissue from control individuals (n = 11) and patients with PM and DM (n = 8/6). IF staining was used to co-localize S100A4 with selected cells. Cytokine expression and protein synthesis in S100A4-treated cells were analysed by RT-PCR and ELISA. Results. S100A4 protein was significantly up-regulated in muscle tissue of patients with inflammatory myopathies compared with control individuals and was associated particularly with the presence of mononuclear infiltrates. Only few regenerating muscle fibres in PM/DM expressed S100A4. Then we analysed the effect of S100A4 on human myocytes and peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs). Although S100A4 did not affect myocytes, stimulation of PBMCs with S100A4 significantly induced the expression and synthesis of TNF-α, IL-1β and IL-6, but not of IFN-α. We showed that S100A4 is not directly involved in perforin/granzyme B-induced apoptosis and that it does not modulate the expression of Bax and Bcl2 mRNA in myocytes and PBMCs. Conclusion. Increased expression of S100A4 in inflamed muscle tissue highlights its potential role in the pathogenesis of inflammatory myopathies. S100A4 may act as a cytokine-like factor indirectly promoting muscle fibre damage by stimulating mononuclear cells to increase the synthesis of pro-inflammatory cytokine

Human mammary fibroblasts stimulate invasion of breast cancer cells in a three-dimensional culture and increase stroma development in mouse xenografts

Abstract Introduction Tumour phenotype is regulated in a complex fashion as a result of interactions between malignant cells and the tumour stroma. Fibroblasts are the most abundant and perhaps most active part of the tumour stroma. A better understanding of the changes that occur in fibroblasts in response to the presence of malignant cells may lead to the development of new strategies for cancer treatment. We explored the effects of fibroblasts on the growth and invasion of mammary carcinoma tumour cells in vitro and in vivo. Methods In order to analyse secreted factors that affect invasive abilities of breast cancer cells we co-cultured human mammary fibroblasts (HMF3s) and cancer cells (MCF7S1) in three-dimensional (3D) growth conditions devoid of heterogeneous cell-cell contact. To study the possible influence of fibroblasts on MCF7S1 cancer cell growth in vivo we co-injected HMF3s and MCF7S1 cells in Balb/c nu/nu mice. Results In 3D co-culture both HMF3s and MCF7S1 cells demonstrated enhanced invasion into a Matrigel matrix. This was correlated with enhanced expression of the metastasis promoting S100A4 protein in fibroblasts, stimulation of the matrix metalloproteinase (MMP)-2 activity, and enhanced secretion of a range of different cytokines. Orthotopic injection of oestrogen-dependent MCF7S1 cancer cells together with fibroblasts showed stimulation of tumour growth in mice without an external oestrogen supply. The resulting tumours were characterized by increased development of extracellular matrix, as well as an increase of murine S100A4 concentration and activity of MMP-2 in the tumour interstitial fluid. Conclusion Stimulation of the invasive phenotype of tumour cells in 3D co-cultures with fibroblasts could be correlated with increased production of S100A4 and MMP-2. We propose that enhanced development of mouse host-derived tumour stroma in a MCF7S1 co-injection xenograft model leads to oestrogen independency and is triggered by the initial presence of human fibroblasts.</p

Characterization of Sp1, AP-1, CBF and KRC binding sites and minisatellite DNA as functional elements of the metastasis-associated mts1/S100A4 gene intronic enhancer

The mts1/S100A4 gene encodes a small acidic calcium-binding protein that is expressed in a cell-specific manner in development, tumorigenesis and certain tissues of adult mice. A composite enhancer that is active in murine mammary adenocarcinoma cells was previously identified in the first intron of the mts1/S100A4 gene. Here we present a detailed analysis of the structure and function of this enhancer in the Mts1/S100A4-expressing CSML100 and non-expressing CSML0 mouse adenocarcinoma cell lines. In CSML100 cells the enhancer activity is composed of at least six cis-elements interacting with Sp1 and AP-1 family members and CBF/AML/PEBP2 and KRC transcription factors. In addition, a minisatellite-like DNA sequence significantly contributes to the enhancer activity via interaction with abundant proteins, which likely have been described previously under the name minisatellite-binding proteins. Extensive mutational analysis of the mts1/S100A4 enhancer revealed a cooperative function of KRC and the factors binding minisatellite DNA. This is the first example of an enhancer where two nuclear factors earlier implicated in different recombination processes cooperate to activate transcription. In Mts1/S100A4-negative CSML0 cells the strength of the enhancer was 7- to 12.5-fold lower compared to that in CSML100 cells, when referred to the activities of three viral promoters. In CSML0 cells the enhancer could be activated by exogenous AP-1 and CBF transcription factors