title: Expression of transforming growth factor-beta 1 and growth in soft agar differentiate prostate carcinoma-associated fibroblasts from normal prostate fibroblasts.
abstract: Carcinoma-associated fibroblasts (CAF) promote tumor progression of pre-neoplastic epithelial cells. To investigate the basis of this phenomenon, we compared the properties of fibroblasts cultured from normal human prostate (NHPF) to prostate CAF. NHPF and CAF were assayed for growth potential, cell death and proliferative capacity by measuring population doubling time, cell cycle distribution and capability to form colonies in soft agar. Resistance to genotoxic (UV radiation: 0-50 J/cm2) and chemotoxic (0-200 nM Taxol) agents were compared between CAF and NHPF by measuring cell viability and cell cycle analysis. Transforming growth factor beta1 (TGF-beta1) immunoreactivity was assessed in non-malignant and malignant prostatic tissue. No detectable differences were found when comparing CAF and NHPF with respect to population doubling time, cell cycle distribution and response to genotoxic and chemotoxic agents. The mean number of colonies in soft agar was 120.5 for CAF vs. 18.2 for NHPF (p < 0.05). Because TGF-beta1 and matrix metalloproteinase (MMP)-9 have been associated with growth of fibroblasts in soft agar and tumor promotion, we measured the expression of these factors in NHPF and CAF by ELISA. There was no difference in expression of MMP-9; however, TGF-beta1 was expressed in higher concentrations in CAF than in NHPF (p < 0.0014). Furthermore, TGF-beta1 expression was higher in the carcinoma-associated stroma of prostate cancer tissue than stroma of non-malignant prostatic tissue. Increased capability of CAF as compared to NHPF to form colonies in soft agar may be due to a higher expression of TGF-beta1 and correlates with the ability of CAF to promote malignant progression of prostate epithelial cells.
authors.affiliation: Division of Urologic Surgery, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02215, USA.
authors.forename: Ignacio F
authors.initials: IF
authors.lastname: San Francisco
authors.forename: William C
authors.initials: WC
authors.lastname: DeWolf
authors.forename: Donna M
authors.initials: DM
authors.lastname: Peehl
authors.forename: Aria F
authors.initials: AF
authors.lastname: Olumi
mesh_terms: D000362:Agar; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000494:pharmacology; D002277:Carcinoma / Q000473:pathology*; D002453:Cell Cycle / Q000502:physiology*; D016923:Cell Death; D002455:Cell Division; D003470:Culture Media; D019008:Drug Resistance, Neoplasm; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D005347:Fibroblasts / Q000502:physiology*; D020869:Gene Expression Profiling; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D011467:Prostate / Q000166:cytology*; D011471:Prostatic Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology*; D011836:Radiation Tolerance; D016212:Transforming Growth Factor beta / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D053773:Transforming Growth Factor beta1; D014407:Tumor Cells, Cultured
chemical_list: D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D003470:Culture Media; C508960:TGFB1 protein, human; D016212:Transforming Growth Factor beta; D053773:Transforming Growth Factor beta1; D000362:Agar