An in-vitro model of scirrhous carcinoma of the stomach using stomach fibroblasts derived from gastric cancer patients.
OBJECTIVE
The mechanisms of the particular stromal changes that occur upon cancer invasion by scirrhous carcinoma of the stomach, in particular, the relationships among cancer cells, stomach fibroblasts and collagen, a major constituent of the stroma of the invasive tumor, have yet to be clarified.


METHODS
Three different human fibroblast cell lines (TIG-101, MF-2, MKF-1) and a cancer cell line derived from scirrhous carcinoma of the stomach (KATO III) were cultured three-dimensionally in collagen gels to investigate collagen gel contraction by these cells as a model of scirrhous carcinoma of the stomach.


RESULTS
The gels contracted and gradually decreased in size in all of the fibroblast (TIG-101, MF-2 and MKF-1) cultures, but not in the KATO III culture, and the extent of gel contraction was not uniform among the fibroblast cell lines. The extent of gel contraction when fibroblasts derived from stomach (MF-2, MKF-1) were co-cultured with KATO III cells in collagen gel was almost similar to that of fibroblasts alone. Moreover, microscopic examination following Masson's trichrome staining revealed condensation and remodeling of collagen fibrils only around the fibroblast cells.


CONCLUSIONS
The extent of collagen gel contraction by fibroblasts may depend on their in vivo origin. This property appears to be characteristic of fibroblasts, but not of malignant epithelial cells, under this culture system. Furthermore, the results of the present study demonstrate that stomach fibroblasts may play an important role in the stromal changes associated with scirrhous gastric cancer.
Kikuchi
S
S
Department of Surgery, School of Medicine, Kitasato University, Kanagawa, Japan.
Sato
T
T
Arai
Y
Y
Tsutsumi
O
O
Hiki
Y
Y
Kakita
A
A
D002293:Adenocarcinoma, Scirrhous / Q000473:pathology*; D002460:Cell Line; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D003094:Collagen / Q000378:metabolism; D005347:Fibroblasts / Q000473:pathology*; D005782:Gels; D006801:Humans; D013270:Stomach / Q000473:pathology; D013274:Stomach Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology*; D014407:Tumor Cells, Cultured
D005782:Gels; D003094:Collagen