Bone marrow-derived myofibroblasts contribute to the mesenchymal stem cell niche and promote tumor growth

ABSTRACT: Carcinoma-associated fibroblasts (CAFs) that express ?-smooth-muscle-actin (?SMA+) contribute to cancer progression, but their precise origin and role in tumorigenesis is not established. Using mouse models of inflammation-induced gastric cancer, we show that at least 20% of CAFs originate from bone marrow and derive from mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs). Surprisingly, we find that ?SMA+ myofibroblasts (MF) are niche cells normally present in bone marrow and increase markedly in the bone marrow and blood during progression to dysplasia. MSC-derived CAFs that are recruited to the dysplastic stomach express IL-6, Wnt5? and BMP4 and show DNA hypomethylation. Bone marrow (BM)-derived CAFs strongly promote tumor growth in organotypic and xenograft models. In addition, CAFs are generated from MSCs

ORGANISM(S): Mus musculus

SUBMITTER: Michael Quante 

PROVIDER: E-GEOD-23548 | biostudies-arrayexpress |

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-arrayexpress