Crosstalk between oral squamous cell carcinoma cells and cancer-associated fibroblasts via the TGF-β/SOX9 axis in cancer progression.

ABSTRACT: Cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs) have important roles in promoting cancer development and progression. We previously reported that high expression of sex-determining region Y (SRY)-box9 (SOX9) in oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) cells was positively correlated with poor prognosis. This study developed three-dimensional (3D) in vitro models co-cultured with OSCC cells and CAFs to examine CAF-mediated cancer migration and invasion in vitro and in vivo. Moreover, we performed an immunohistochemical analysis of alpha-smooth muscle actin and SOX9 expression in surgical specimens from 65 OSCC patients. The results indicated that CAFs promote cancer migration and invasion in migration assays and 3D in vitro models. The invading OSCC cells exhibited significant SOX9 expression and changes i

SUBMITTER: Haga K 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC8502776 | biostudies-literature | 2021 Dec

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature