Collective invasion of carcinoma cells: when the fibroblasts take the lead.
Epithelial to mesenchymal transitions (EMT) have been suggested to be crucial during epithelial cancer cell invasion. However, in a three-dimensional "organotypic" invasion assay squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) cells that retain epithelial characteristics "hitch a ride" with carcinoma associated fibroblasts (CAFs) in order to collectively invade. Thus epithelial cancer cells can utilise the mesenchymal characteristics of CAFs without the need to undergo EMT themselves. This work provides new insight in cancer cell invasion and shows a new role for CAFs as a target for an anti-invasive therapy.
Gaggioli
Cedric
C
Cancer Research UK, London Research Institute, London, UK. cedric.gaggioli@cancer.org.uk
D002277:Carcinoma / Q000473:pathology*; D005347:Fibroblasts; D006801:Humans; D008954:Models, Biological; D009361:Neoplasm Invasiveness / Q000473:pathology