title: Downregulation of connective tissue growth factor by three-dimensional matrix enhances ovarian carcinoma cell invasion.
abstract: Epithelial ovarian carcinoma (EOC) is a leading cause of death from gynecologic malignancies, due mainly to the prevalence of undetected metastatic disease. The process of cell invasion during intraperitoneal anchoring of metastatic lesions requires concerted regulation of many processes, including modulation of adhesion to the extracellular matrix and localized invasion. Exploratory cDNA microarray analysis of early response genes (altered after 4 hr of 3D collagen culture) coupled with confirmatory real-time reverse-transcriptase polymerase chain reaction, multiple 3D cell culture matrices, Western blot, immunostaining, adhesion, migration and invasion assays were used to identify modulators of adhesion pertinent to EOC progression and metastasis. cDNA microarray analysis indicated a dramatic downregulation of connective tissue growth factor (CTGF) in EOC cells placed in invasion- mimicking conditions (3D Type I collagen). Examination of human EOC specimens revealed that CTGF expression was absent in 46% of the tested samples (n = 41), but was present in 100% of normal ovarian epithelium samples (n = 7). Reduced CTGF expression occurs in many types of cells and may be a general phenomenon displayed by cells encountering a 3D environment. CTGF levels were inversely correlated with invasion such that downregulation of CTGF increased, while its upregulation reduced collagen invasion. Cells adhered preferentially to a surface comprised of both collagen I and CTGF relative to either component alone using alpha6beta1 and alpha3beta1 integrins. Together these data suggest that downregulation of CTGF in EOC cells may be important for cell invasion through modulation of cell-matrix adhesion.
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL, USA. mvb@uic.edu
authors.forename: Maria V
authors.initials: MV
authors.lastname: Barbolina
authors.forename: Brian P
authors.initials: BP
authors.lastname: Adley
authors.forename: David L
authors.initials: DL
authors.lastname: Kelly
authors.forename: Jaclyn
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Shepard
authors.forename: Angela J
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: Fought
authors.forename: Denise
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Scholtens
authors.forename: Peter
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Penzes
authors.forename: Lonnie D
authors.initials: LD
authors.lastname: Shea
authors.forename: M Sharon
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Stack
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D015153:Blotting, Western; D002448:Cell Adhesion; D018929:Cell Culture Techniques; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D024042:Collagen Type I / Q000378:metabolism*; D055513:Connective Tissue Growth Factor / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D015536:Down-Regulation; D004730:Endothelium, Vascular / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism; D005260:Female; D020869:Gene Expression Profiling; D006801:Humans; D007124:Immunoenzyme Techniques; D016023:Integrins / Q000378:metabolism; D009361:Neoplasm Invasiveness; D009474:Neurons / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism; D020411:Oligonucleotide Array Sequence Analysis; D010051:Ovarian Neoplasms / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology*; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D034741:RNA, Small Interfering / Q000494:pharmacology; D051381:Rats; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction; D018874:Spheroids, Cellular; D014471:Umbilical Veins / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; C526317:CCN2 protein, human; D024042:Collagen Type I; D016023:Integrins; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D034741:RNA, Small Interfering; D055513:Connective Tissue Growth Factor