Pancreatic stellate cells promote proliferation and invasiveness of human pancreatic cancer cells via galectin-3.
OBJECTIVE
To investigate the role of pancreatic stellate cells (PSCs) and galectin-3 (GAL-3) in the proliferation and infiltration of pancreatic cancer cell line SW1990.


METHODS
Human pancreatic cancer cell line SW1990 and PSCs were cultured in vitro. Supernatant fluid of cultured PSCs and SW1990 cells was collected. Expression of GAL-3 in SW1990 cells and PSCs was detected by ELISA, RT-PCR and Western blotting. Proliferation of cultured PSCs and SW1990 cells was measured by 3-(4, 5-methylthiazol-2-yl)-2, 5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay and flow cytometry. Infiltration of SW1990 cells was detected by a cell infiltration kit.


RESULTS
SW1990 cells expressed GAL-3 and this was up-regulated by the supernatant fluid of cultured PSCs. PSCs did not express GAL-3. SW1990 cells stimulated proliferation of PSCs via GAL-3. GAL-3 antibody inhibited SW1990 cell proliferation, while the supernatant fluid of PSCs stimulated proliferation of SW1990 cells through interaction with GAL-3 protein. The supernatant fluid of PSCs enhanced the invasiveness of SW1990 cells through interaction with GAL-3.


CONCLUSIONS
GAL-3 and PSCs were involved in the proliferation and infiltration process of pancreatic cancer cells.
Jiang
Hai-Biao
HB
Department of Gastroenterology, Shanghai First People's Hospital Affiliated to Shanghai Jiaotong University, 85 Wujin Road, Shanghai 200080, China.
Xu
Ming
M
Wang
Xing-Peng
XP
D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D049109:Cell Proliferation; D016895:Culture Media, Serum-Free / Q000494:pharmacology; D018450:Disease Progression; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D005434:Flow Cytometry; D037502:Galectin 3 / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000502:physiology*; D015972:Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic; D006801:Humans; D008954:Models, Biological; D009361:Neoplasm Invasiveness; D010179:Pancreas / Q000166:cytology*; D010190:Pancreatic Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology*; D013778:Tetrazolium Salts / Q000494:pharmacology; D013844:Thiazoles / Q000494:pharmacology
D016895:Culture Media, Serum-Free; D037502:Galectin 3; D013778:Tetrazolium Salts; D013844:Thiazoles; C022616:thiazolyl blue