Carcinoma-Associated Fibroblasts Lead the Invasion of Salivary Gland Adenoid Cystic Carcinoma Cells by Creating an Invasive Track

PLoS One. 2016 Mar 8;11(3):e0150247. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0150247. eCollection 2016.

Abstract

Carcinoma-associated fibroblasts (CAFs) are critical in determining tumor invasion and metastasis. However the role of CAFs in the invasion of salivary gland adenoid cystic carcinoma (ACC) is poorly understood. In this study, we isolated primary CAFs from two ACC patients. ACC-derived CAFs expressed typical CAF biomarkers and showed increased migration and invasion activity. Conditioned medium collected from CAFs significantly promoted ACC cell migration and invasion. Co-culture of CAFs with ACC cells in a microfluidic device further revealed that CAFs localized at the invasion front and ACC cells followed the track behind the CAFs. Interfering of both matrix metalloproteinase and CXCL12/CXCR4 pathway inhibited ACC invasion promoted by CAFs. Overall, our study demonstrates that ACC-derived CAFs exhibit the most important defining feature of CAFs by promoting cancer invasion. In addition to secretion of soluble factors, CAFs also lead ACC invasion by creating an invasive track in the ECM.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Carcinoma, Adenoid Cystic / metabolism*
  • Carcinoma, Adenoid Cystic / pathology
  • Cell Line, Tumor
  • Cell Movement*
  • Chemokine CXCL12 / metabolism
  • Coculture Techniques
  • Female
  • Fibroblasts / metabolism*
  • Fibroblasts / pathology
  • Gelatinases / metabolism
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Neoplasm Invasiveness
  • Neoplasm Proteins / metabolism
  • Receptors, CXCR4 / metabolism
  • Salivary Gland Neoplasms / metabolism*
  • Salivary Gland Neoplasms / pathology

Substances

  • CXCL12 protein, human
  • CXCR4 protein, human
  • Chemokine CXCL12
  • Neoplasm Proteins
  • Receptors, CXCR4
  • Gelatinases

Grants and funding

This work was supported by National Natural Science Foundation of China (No.81171425). The funder had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript.