Tumor-stroma interactions a trademark for metastasis.
OBJECTIVE
We aimed to unravel genes that are significantly associated with metastasis in order to identify functions that support disseminated disease.


RESULTS
We identify genes associated with metastasis and verify its clinical correlations using publicly available primary tumor expression profile data sets. We used facilities in R and Bioconductor (GSEA). Specific data structures and functions were imported. Our results show that genes associated with metastasis in primary tumor enriched for pathways associated with immune infiltration or cytokine-cytokine receptor interaction. As an example, we focus on the enrichment of TGFBR2 and TGF|X A set of communication tools capital for tumor-stroma interactions that define metastasis to the lung and support bone colonization.


CONCLUSIONS
We showed that tumor-stroma communication through cytokine-cytokine receptor interaction pathway is selected in primary tumors with high risk of relapse. High levels of these factors support systemic instigation of the far metastatic nest as well as local metastatic-specific functions that provide solid ground for metastatic development.
Oncology Programme, Institute for Research in Biomedicine, Barcelona, Spain.
Monica
M
Morales
Evarist
E
Planet
Anna
A
Arnal-Estape
Milica
M
Pavlovic
Maria
M
Tarragona
Roger R
RR
Gomis
D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000235:genetics; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000235:genetics* / Q000473:pathology; D002450:Cell Communication / Q000235:genetics*; D045744:Cell Line, Tumor / Q000473:pathology; D005260:Female; D015972:Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009362:Neoplasm Metastasis / Q000235:genetics* / Q000473:pathology; D018121:Receptors, Cytokine / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D012494:Sampling Studies; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D017154:Stromal Cells / Q000473:pathology
D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D018121:Receptors, Cytokine