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Cancer-associated fibroblasts actively compress cancer cells and modulate mechanotransduction.

ABSTRACT: During tumor progression, cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs) accumulate in tumors and produce an excessive extracellular matrix (ECM), forming a capsule that enwraps cancer cells. This capsule acts as a barrier that restricts tumor growth leading to the buildup of intratumoral pressure. Combining genetic and physical manipulations in vivo with microfabrication and force measurements in vitro, we found that the CAFs capsule is not a passive barrier but instead actively compresses cancer cells using actomyosin contractility. Abrogation of CAFs contractility in vivo leads to the dissipation of compressive forces and impairment of capsule formation. By mapping CAF force patterns in 3D, we show that compression is a CAF-intrinsic property independent of cancer cell growth. Supracellular coordination of CAFs is achieved through fibronectin cables that serve as scaffolds allowing force transmission. Cancer cells mechanosense CAF compression, resulting in an altered localization of the transcriptional regulator YAP and a decrease in proliferation. Our study unveils that the contractile capsule actively compresses cancer cells, modulates their mechanical signaling, and reorganizes tumor morphology.

SUBMITTER: Barbazan J

PROVIDER: S-EPMC10618488 | biostudies-literature | 2023 Nov

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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Cancer-associated fibroblasts actively compress cancer cells and modulate mechanotransduction.

Barbazan Jorge J Pérez-González Carlos C Gómez-González Manuel M Dedenon Mathieu M Richon Sophie S Latorre Ernest E Serra Marco M Mariani Pascale P Descroix Stéphanie S Sens Pierre P Trepat Xavier X Vignjevic Danijela Matic DM

Nature communications 20231101 1

During tumor progression, cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs) accumulate in tumors and produce an excessive extracellular matrix (ECM), forming a capsule that enwraps cancer cells. This capsule acts as a barrier that restricts tumor growth leading to the buildup of intratumoral pressure. Combining genetic and physical manipulations in vivo with microfabrication and force measurements in vitro, we found that the CAFs capsule is not a passive barrier but instead actively compresses cancer cells u ...[more]

PMID: 37907483

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Project description:Endometrial cancer is the most commonly diagnosed gynecologic malignancy worldwide; yet the tumor microenvironment, especially the fibroblast cells surrounding the cancer cells, is poorly understood. We established four primary cultures of fibroblasts from human endometrial cancer tissues (cancer-associated fibroblasts, CAFs) using antibody-conjugated magnetic bead isolation. These relatively homogenous fibroblast cultures expressed fibroblast markers (CD90, vimentin and alpha-smooth muscle actin) and hormonal (estrogen and progesterone) receptors. Conditioned media collected from CAFs induced a dose-dependent proliferation of both primary cultures and cell lines of endometrial cancer in vitro (175%) when compared to non-treated cells, in contrast to those from normal endometrial fibroblast cell line (51%) (P<0.0001). These effects were not observed in fibroblast culture derived from benign endometrial hyperplasia tissues, indicating the specificity of CAFs in affecting endometrial cancer cell proliferation. To determine the mechanism underlying the differential fibroblast effects, we compared the activation of PI3K/Akt and MAPK/Erk pathways in endometrial cancer cells following treatment with normal fibroblasts- and CAFs-conditioned media. Western blot analysis showed that the expression of both phosphorylated forms of Akt and Erk were significantly down-regulated in normal fibroblasts-treated cells, but were up-regulated/maintained in CAFs-treated cells. Treatment with specific inhibitors LY294002 and U0126 reversed the CAFs-mediated cell proliferation (P<0.0001), suggesting for a role of these pathways in modulating endometrial cancer cell proliferation. Rapamycin, which targets a downstream molecule in PI3K pathway (mTOR), also suppressed CAFs-induced cell proliferation by inducing apoptosis. Cytokine profiling analysis revealed that CAFs secrete higher levels of macrophage chemoattractant protein (MCP)-1, interleukin (IL)-6, IL-8, RANTES and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) than normal fibroblasts. Our data suggests that in contrast to normal fibroblasts, CAFs may exhibit a pro-tumorigenic effect in the progression of endometrial cancer, and PI3K/Akt and MAPK/Erk signaling may represent critical regulators in how endometrial cancer cells respond to their microenvironment.

Project description:Recently, several studies have demonstrated that cancer cell?derived exosomes can facilitate tumor development and metastasis formation. However, the detailed function of exosomes released by cancer stem cells (CSCs) requires further investigation. The aim of the present study was to investigate the role of CSC?derived exosomes in tumor development. For this purpose, Piwil2?induced cancer stem cells (Piwil2?iCSCs) were used as exosome?generating cells, while fibroblasts (FBs) served as recipient cells. Exosomes were isolated by the ultracentrifugation of Piwil2?iCSC?conditioned medium and identified by transmission electron microscopy, nanoparticle tracking analysis and western blot analysis. To evaluate the effects of the exosomes on cell proliferation, migration and invasion, cell counting assay (CCK?8), a wound healing assay and a Transwell assay were performed. Protein expression [matrix metalloproteinase (MMP)2, MMP9, ??smooth muscle actin (??SMA) and vimentin and fibroblast?activating protein (FAP)] was examined in FBs by western blot analysis. It was found that the Piwil2?iCSC?derived exosomes (Piwil2?iCSC?Exo) were oval or spherical, membrane?coated vesicles with a uniform size (30?100 nm in diameter). They are characterized by the surface expression of CD9, CD63, Hsp70 and Piwil2 proteins. Additional results from functional analyses revealed that Piwil2?iCSC?Exo enhanced the proliferative, migratory and invasive abilities of FBs, accompanied by the upregulated expression of MMP2 and MMP9. In addition, the increased expression of ??SMA (P<0.05), vimentin (P<0.01 vs. control group, P<0.05 vs. PBS group) and FAP (P<0.001 vs. control group, P<0.01 vs. PBS group) following exposure to Piwil2?iCSC?Exo suggested that the exosomes induced FB transformation into cancer?associated fibroblasts (CAFs). On the whole, the findings of this study demonstrate that Piwil2?iCSC?Exo induce the cancer?associated phenotype in fibroblasts in vitro, suggesting that CSCs can promote tumor development through the modulation of the tumor microenvironment.

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Cancer-associated fibroblasts actively compress cancer cells and modulate mechanotransduction.

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Cancer-associated fibroblasts actively compress cancer cells and modulate mechanotransduction.

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