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Laskaratos FM, Levi A, Schwach G, Pfragner R, Hall A, Xia D, von Stempel C, Bretherton J, Thanapirom K, Alexander S, Ogunbiyi O, Watkins J, Luong TV, Toumpanakis C, Mandair D, Caplin M, Rombouts K. Transcriptomic Profiling of In Vitro Tumor-Stromal Cell Paracrine Crosstalk Identifies Involvement of the Integrin Signaling Pathway in the Pathogenesis of Mesenteric Fibrosis in Human Small Intestinal Neuroendocrine Neoplasms. Front Oncol 2021; 11:629665. [PMID: 33718208 PMCID: PMC7943728 DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2021.629665] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/15/2020] [Accepted: 01/15/2021] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Aim Analysis of the pathophysiology of mesenteric fibrosis (MF) in small intestinal neuroendocrine tumors (SI-NETs) in an in vitro paracrine model and in human SI-NET tissue samples. Methods An indirect co-culture model of SI-NET cells KRJ-I and P-STS with stromal cells HEK293 was designed to evaluate the paracrine effects on cell metabolic activity, gene expression by RT2 PCR Profilers to analyse cancer and fibrosis related genes, and RNA sequencing. The integrin signaling pathway, a specific Ingenuity enriched pathway, was further explored in a cohort of human SI-NET tissues by performing protein analysis and immunohistochemistry. Results RT Profiler array analysis demonstrated several genes to be significantly up- or down-regulated in a cell specific manner as a result of the paracrine effect. This was further confirmed by employing RNA sequencing revealing multiple signaling pathways involved in carcinogenesis and fibrogenesis that were significantly affected in these cell lines. A significant upregulation in the expression of various integrin pathway – related genes was identified in the mesenteric mass of fibrotic SI-NET as confirmed by RT-qPCR and immunohistochemistry. Protein analysis demonstrated downstream activation of the MAPK and mTOR pathways in some patients with fibrotic SI-NETs. Conclusion This study has provided the first comprehensive analysis of the crosstalk of SI-NET cells with stromal cells. A novel pathway – the integrin pathway – was identified and further validated and confirmed in a cohort of human SI-NET tissue featured by a dual role in fibrogenesis/carcinogenesis within the neoplastic fibrotic microenvironment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Faidon-Marios Laskaratos
- Neuroendocrine Tumour Unit, ENETS Centre of Excellence, Royal Free London NHS Foundation Trust, London, United Kingdom.,Regenerative Medicine and Fibrosis Group, Institute for Liver and Digestive Health, Royal Free Hospital, University College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Ana Levi
- Regenerative Medicine and Fibrosis Group, Institute for Liver and Digestive Health, Royal Free Hospital, University College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Gert Schwach
- Otto Loewi Research Center, Medical University of Graz, Graz, Austria
| | - Roswitha Pfragner
- Otto Loewi Research Center, Medical University of Graz, Graz, Austria
| | - Andrew Hall
- Academic Centre for Cellular Pathology, Royal Free London NHS Foundation Trust, London, United Kingdom
| | - Dong Xia
- Royal Veterinary College, University of London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Conrad von Stempel
- Radiology Department, Royal Free London NHS Foundation Trust, London, United Kingdom
| | - Josephine Bretherton
- Radiology Department, Royal Free London NHS Foundation Trust, London, United Kingdom
| | - Kessarin Thanapirom
- Regenerative Medicine and Fibrosis Group, Institute for Liver and Digestive Health, Royal Free Hospital, University College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Sarah Alexander
- Academic Centre for Cellular Pathology, Royal Free London NHS Foundation Trust, London, United Kingdom
| | - Olagunju Ogunbiyi
- Department of Colorectal Surgery, Royal Free London NHS Foundation Trust, London, United Kingdom
| | - Jennifer Watkins
- Academic Centre for Cellular Pathology, Royal Free London NHS Foundation Trust, London, United Kingdom
| | - Tu Vinh Luong
- Academic Centre for Cellular Pathology, Royal Free London NHS Foundation Trust, London, United Kingdom
| | - Christos Toumpanakis
- Neuroendocrine Tumour Unit, ENETS Centre of Excellence, Royal Free London NHS Foundation Trust, London, United Kingdom
| | - Dalvinder Mandair
- Neuroendocrine Tumour Unit, ENETS Centre of Excellence, Royal Free London NHS Foundation Trust, London, United Kingdom
| | - Martyn Caplin
- Neuroendocrine Tumour Unit, ENETS Centre of Excellence, Royal Free London NHS Foundation Trust, London, United Kingdom
| | - Krista Rombouts
- Regenerative Medicine and Fibrosis Group, Institute for Liver and Digestive Health, Royal Free Hospital, University College London, London, United Kingdom
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