Osterix-Cre marks distinct subsets of CD45- and CD45+ stromal populations in extra-skeletal tumors with pro-tumorigenic characteristics.

ABSTRACT: Cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs) are a heterogeneous population of mesenchymal cells supporting tumor progression, whose origin remains to be fully elucidated. Osterix (Osx) is a marker of osteogenic differentiation, expressed in skeletal progenitor stem cells and bone-forming osteoblasts. We report Osx expression in CAFs and by using Osx-cre;TdTomato reporter mice we confirm the presence and pro-tumorigenic function of TdT^OSX+ cells in extra-skeletal tumors. Surprisingly, only a minority of TdT^OSX+ cells expresses fibroblast and osteogenic markers. The majority of TdT^OSX+ cells express the hematopoietic marker CD45, have a genetic and phenotypic profile resembling that of tumor infiltrating myeloid and lymphoid populations, but with higher expre

SUBMITTER: Ricci B 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7428306 | biostudies-literature | 2020 Aug

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature