Crosstalk with cancer-associated fibroblasts increases the growth and radiation survival of cervical cancer cells

Radiat Res. 2014 May;181(5):540-7. doi: 10.1667/RR13583.1. Epub 2014 May 1.

Abstract

Crosstalk between cancer cells and the surrounding cancer associated fibroblasts (CAFs) plays an illusive role in cancer radiotherapy. This study investigated the effect of cancer cell-cancer associated fibroblasts crosstalk on the proliferation and survival of irradiated cervical cancer cells. A pretreatment with conditioned medium from a mixed culture of CAF and HeLa cells (mixCAF) had a stronger effect on enhancing the proliferation and survival of irradiated HeLa cells compared to pretreatment with CAF conditioned medium alone. In addition, pretreatment with a mixed culture of CAF and HeLa cells conditioned medium reduced the levels of two major radiation-induced genes, GADD45 and BTG2, and phosphorylation of p38. Profiling of the growth and survival factors in the conditioned medium revealed PDGF and VEGF, and IGF2, EGF, FGF-4, IGFBPs and GM-CSF to be specifically secreted from HeLa cells and CAFs, respectively. This study demonstrated radiation protective effects of CAF-cancer cell crosstalk, and identified multiple growth factors and radiation response genes that might be involved in these effects.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / pathology*
  • Cell Communication*
  • Cell Cycle Proteins / biosynthesis
  • Cell Cycle Proteins / genetics
  • Cell Division / radiation effects
  • Coculture Techniques
  • Culture Media, Conditioned / pharmacology
  • Epithelial Cells / metabolism
  • Epithelial Cells / pathology*
  • Epithelial Cells / radiation effects
  • Female
  • Fibroblasts / metabolism
  • Fibroblasts / pathology*
  • Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic / radiation effects
  • HeLa Cells / metabolism
  • HeLa Cells / radiation effects
  • HeLa Cells / transplantation
  • Humans
  • Immediate-Early Proteins / biosynthesis
  • Immediate-Early Proteins / genetics
  • Intercellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins / metabolism
  • Mice
  • Mice, Inbred NOD
  • Mice, SCID
  • Neoplasm Proteins / biosynthesis
  • Neoplasm Proteins / genetics
  • Neoplasm Proteins / metabolism
  • Neoplasm Transplantation
  • Nuclear Proteins / biosynthesis
  • Nuclear Proteins / genetics
  • Phosphorylation / radiation effects
  • Protein Processing, Post-Translational / radiation effects
  • Radiation Tolerance
  • Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction
  • Stromal Cells / metabolism
  • Stromal Cells / pathology*
  • Tumor Microenvironment*
  • Tumor Stem Cell Assay
  • Tumor Suppressor Proteins / biosynthesis
  • Tumor Suppressor Proteins / genetics
  • Uterine Cervical Neoplasms / pathology*
  • p38 Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases / metabolism

Substances

  • Cell Cycle Proteins
  • Culture Media, Conditioned
  • GADD45A protein, human
  • Immediate-Early Proteins
  • Intercellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins
  • Neoplasm Proteins
  • Nuclear Proteins
  • Tumor Suppressor Proteins
  • BTG2 protein, human
  • p38 Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases