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Ping Q, Wang C, Cheng X, Zhong Y, Yan R, Yang M, Shi Y, Li X, Li X, Huang W, Wang L, Bi X, Hu L, Yang Y, Wang Y, Gong R, Tan J, Li R, Li H, Li J, Wang W, Li R. TGF-β1 dominates stromal fibroblast-mediated EMT via the FAP/VCAN axis in bladder cancer cells. J Transl Med 2023; 21:475. [PMID: 37461061 PMCID: PMC10351189 DOI: 10.1186/s12967-023-04303-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/15/2022] [Accepted: 06/24/2023] [Indexed: 07/20/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Bladder cancer is one of the most common malignant tumors of the urinary system and is associated with a poor prognosis once invasion and distant metastases occur. Epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) drives metastasis and invasion in bladder cancer. Transforming growth factor β1 (TGF-β1) and stromal fibroblasts, especially cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs), are positive regulators of EMT in bladder cancer. However, it remains unclear how TGF-β1 mediates crosstalk between bladder cancer cells and CAFs and how it induces stromal fibroblast-mediated EMT in bladder cancer. We aimed to investigate the mechanism of TGF-β1 regulation of stromal fibroblast-mediated EMT in bladder cancer cells. METHODS Primary CAFs with high expression of fibroblast activation protein (FAP) were isolated from bladder cancer tissue samples. Subsequently, different conditioned media were used to stimulate the bladder cancer cell line T24 in a co-culture system. Gene set enrichment analysis, a human cytokine antibody array, and cytological assays were performed to investigate the mechanism of TGF-β1 regulation of stromal fibroblast-mediated EMT in bladder cancer cells. RESULTS Among the TGF-β family, TGF-β1 was the most highly expressed factor in bladder cancer tissue and primary stromal fibroblast supernatant. In the tumor microenvironment, TGF-β1 was mainly derived from stromal fibroblasts, especially CAFs. In stimulated bladder cells, stromal fibroblast-derived TGF-β1 promoted bladder cancer cell migration, invasion, and EMT. Furthermore, TGF-β1 promoted the activation of stromal fibroblasts, inducing CAF-like features, by upregulating FAP in primary normal fibroblasts and a normal fibroblast cell line. Stromal fibroblast-mediated EMT was induced in bladder cancer cells by TGF-β1/FAP. Versican (VCAN), a downstream molecule of FAP, plays an essential role in TGF-β1/FAP axis-induced EMT in bladder cancer cells. VCAN may also function through the PI3K/AKT1 signaling pathway. CONCLUSIONS TGF-β1 is a critical mediator of crosstalk between stromal fibroblasts and bladder cancer cells. We revealed a new mechanism whereby TGF-β1 dominated stromal fibroblast-mediated EMT of bladder cancer cells via the FAP/VCAN axis and identified potential biomarkers (FAP, VCAN, N-cadherin, and Vimentin) of bladder cancer. These results enhance our understanding of bladder cancer invasion and metastasis and provide potential strategies for diagnosis, treatment, and prognosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qinrong Ping
- Department of Urology, Yan'an Hospital Affiliated to Kunming Medical University, Kunming, 650051, China
- Key Laboratory of Tumor Immunological Prevention and Treatment of Yunnan Provincial, Kunming, 650051, China
| | - Chunhui Wang
- Department of Urology, Yan'an Hospital Affiliated to Kunming Medical University, Kunming, 650051, China
- Key Laboratory of Tumor Immunological Prevention and Treatment of Yunnan Provincial, Kunming, 650051, China
| | - Xin Cheng
- Kunming Medical University, Kunming, 650051, China
| | - Yiming Zhong
- Department of Urology, Yan'an Hospital Affiliated to Kunming Medical University, Kunming, 650051, China
| | - Ruping Yan
- Department of Urology, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Kunming Medical University, Kunming, 650101, China
| | - Meng Yang
- Department of Urology, Yan'an Hospital Affiliated to Kunming Medical University, Kunming, 650051, China
| | - Yunqiang Shi
- Department of Urology, Yan'an Hospital Affiliated to Kunming Medical University, Kunming, 650051, China
| | - Xiangmeng Li
- Department of Urology, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Kunming Medical University, Kunming, 650101, China
| | - Xiao Li
- Key Laboratory of Tumor Immunological Prevention and Treatment of Yunnan Provincial, Kunming, 650051, China
| | - Wenwen Huang
- Key Laboratory of Tumor Immunological Prevention and Treatment of Yunnan Provincial, Kunming, 650051, China
- Department of Pathology, Yan'an Hospital Affiliated to Kunming Medical University, Kunming, 650051, China
| | - Liqiong Wang
- Department of Pathology, Yan'an Hospital Affiliated to Kunming Medical University, Kunming, 650051, China
| | - Xiaofang Bi
- Department of Urology, Yan'an Hospital Affiliated to Kunming Medical University, Kunming, 650051, China
| | - Libing Hu
- Department of Urology, Yan'an Hospital Affiliated to Kunming Medical University, Kunming, 650051, China
| | - Yang Yang
- Department of Urology, Yan'an Hospital Affiliated to Kunming Medical University, Kunming, 650051, China
| | - Yingbao Wang
- Department of Urology, Yan'an Hospital Affiliated to Kunming Medical University, Kunming, 650051, China
| | - Rui Gong
- Department of Urology, Yan'an Hospital Affiliated to Kunming Medical University, Kunming, 650051, China
| | - Jun Tan
- Department of Urology, Yan'an Hospital Affiliated to Kunming Medical University, Kunming, 650051, China
| | - Rui Li
- Department of Urology, Yan'an Hospital Affiliated to Kunming Medical University, Kunming, 650051, China
| | - Hui Li
- Department of Urology, Yan'an Hospital Affiliated to Kunming Medical University, Kunming, 650051, China
| | - Jian Li
- Department of Urology, Yan'an Hospital Affiliated to Kunming Medical University, Kunming, 650051, China
| | - Wenju Wang
- Key Laboratory of Tumor Immunological Prevention and Treatment of Yunnan Provincial, Kunming, 650051, China.
| | - Ruhong Li
- Key Laboratory of Tumor Immunological Prevention and Treatment of Yunnan Provincial, Kunming, 650051, China.
- Department of General Surgery, Yan'an Hospital Affiliated to Kunming Medical University, Kunming, 650051, China.
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