Mesenchymal stem cells and glioma cells form a structural as well as a functional syncytium in vitro.
The interaction of human mesenchymal stem cells (hMSCs) and tumor cells has been investigated in various contexts. HMSCs are considered as cellular treatment vectors based on their capacity to migrate towards a malignant lesion. However, concerns about unpredictable behavior of transplanted hMSCs are accumulating. In malignant gliomas, the recruitment mechanism is driven by glioma-secreted factors which lead to accumulation of both, tissue specific stem cells as well as bone marrow derived hMSCs within the tumor. The aim of the present work was to study specific cellular interactions between hMSCs and glioma cells in vitro. We show, that glioma cells as well as hMSCs differentially express connexins, and that they interact via gap-junctional coupling. Besides this so-called functional syncytium formation, we also provide evidence of cell fusion events (structural syncytium). These complex cellular interactions led to an enhanced migration and altered proliferation of both, tumor and mesenchymal stem cell types in vitro. The presented work shows that glioma cells display signs of functional as well as structural syncytium formation with hMSCs in vitro. The described cellular phenomena provide new insight into the complexity of interaction patterns between tumor cells and host cells. Based on these findings, further studies are warranted to define the impact of a functional or structural syncytium formation on malignant tumors and cell based therapies in vivo.
Tumorbiological Laboratory, Neurosurgical Clinic, Ludwig-Maximilians-University Munich, Germany. schichor@web.de
Christian
C
Schichor
Valerie
V
Albrecht
Benjamin
B
Korte
Alexander
A
Buchner
Rainer
R
Riesenberg
Josef
J
Mysliwietz
Igor
I
Paron
Helena
H
Motaln
Tamara Lah
TL
Turnšek
Kathrin
K
Jürchott
Joachim
J
Selbig
Joerg-Christian
JC
Tonn
D000596:Amino Acids; D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D002465:Cell Movement / Q000187:drug effects; D049109:Cell Proliferation / Q000187:drug effects; D018920:Coculture Techniques; D018031:Connexin 43 / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D017077:Culture Media, Conditioned / Q000494:pharmacology; D003911:Dextrans; D015870:Gene Expression / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D015726:Giant Cells / Q000187:drug effects / Q000473:pathology / Q000502:physiology*; D005910:Glioma / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology*; D006801:Humans; D059630:Mesenchymal Stem Cells / Q000502:physiology*; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000378:metabolism; D012235:Rhodamines; D013347:Subcellular Fractions
D000596:Amino Acids; D018031:Connexin 43; D017077:Culture Media, Conditioned; D003911:Dextrans; C500216:GJA1 protein, human; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D012235:Rhodamines; C539719:dextran tetramethylrhodamine; C098463:dolaisoleucine