Cancer associated fibroblasts are distinguishable from peri-tumor fibroblasts by biological characteristics in TSCC

Targeting Signalling Cross-Talk between Cancer Cells and Cancer-Associated Fibroblast through Monocarboxylate Transporters in Head and Neck Cancer

Head and Neck Squamous Cell Carcinoma (HNSCC) is an aggressive malignancy affecting more than 600,000 cases worldwide annually, associated with poor prognosis and significant morbidity. HNSCC tumors are dysplastic, with up to 80% fibroblasts. It has been reported that Cancer-Associated Fibroblasts (CAFs) facilitate HNSCC progression. Unlike normal cells, malignant cells often display increased glycolysis, even in the presence of oxygen; a phenomenon known as the Warburg effect. As a consequence, there is an increase in Lactic Acid (LA) production. Earlier, it has been reported that HNSCC tumors exhibit high LA levels that correlate with reduced survival. It has been reported that the activation of the receptor tyrosine kinase, c- MET, by CAF-secreted Hepatocyte Growth Factor (HGF) is a major contributing event in the progression of HNSCC. In nasopharyngeal carcinoma, c-MET inhibition downregulates the TP53-Induced Glycolysis and Apoptosis Regulator (TIGAR) and NADPH production resulting in apoptosis. Previously, it was demonstrated that HNSCC tumor cells are highly glycolytic. Further, CAFs show a higher capacity to utilize LA as a carbon source to fuel mitochondrial respiration than HNSCC. Earlier, we have reported that in admixed cultures, both cell types increase the expression of Monocarboxylate Transporters (MCTs) for a bidirectional LA transporter. Consequently, MCTs play an important role in signalling cross-talk between cancer cells and cancer associate fibroblast in head and neck cancer, and targeting MCTs would lead to the development of a potential therapeutic approach for head and neck cancer. In this review, we focus on the regulation of MCTs in head and neck cancer through signalling cross-talk between cancer cells and cancer-associated fibroblasts, and targeting this signalling cross talk would lead to the development of a potential therapeutic approach for head and neck cancer.

Biological effects of exosome derived from Cal27 on normal human gingival fibroblasts

OBJECTIVES

The proliferation, migration capacity, and expression of activation-related proteins of NHGFs+Cal27-exo were determined by coculturing Cal27 exosome (Cal27-exo) with normal human gingival fibroblasts (NHGFs) to explore the effects of Cal27-exo on the activation and biological behavior of NHGFs.

METHODS

Cal27-exo was extracted using supercentrifugation, and exosomes were identified using Western blot, transmission electron microscopy (TEM), and particle size detection. Cal27-exo was cocultured with NHGFs to detect the uptake of Cal27-exo by NHGFs, and the proliferation and migration capacity of NHGFs+Cal27-exo were detected using CCK8 and wound healing tests, respectively. The expression levels of NHGF activation-related proteins, i.e., matrix metalloproteinase-9 (MMP-9), fibroblast-activating protein (FAP), alpha smooth muscle actin (αSMA), and transforming growth factor-β (TGF-β), were detected using real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR).

RESULTS

Cal27-exo was extracted u-sing supercentrifugation, and Western blot showed the positive expression levels of Alix and CD63. TEM showed that Cal27-exo had a circular double-layer vesicle. The particle size was between 30 and 150 nm. Cal27-exo labeled with PKH67 entered NHGFs after the coculture method. The wound healing test showed that the migration capacity of NHGFs+Cal27-exo was stronger after the scratch compared with that of NHGFs. CCK8 results showed that the proliferation activity of NHGFs+Cal27-exo was enhanced. qRT-PCR results showed that the MMP-9 levels of NHGFs+Cal27-exo were upregulated, whereas the TGF-β and αSMA mRNA levels of NHGFs+Cal27-exo were downregulated (P<0.05).

CONCLUSIONS

The proliferation and migration ability of NHGFs+Cal27-exo are enhanced, and the mRNA expression of related proteins is changed. Cal27-exo can activate NHGFs, which suggests that Cal27-exo has potential significance in tumor invasion and metastasis.