Background: The influence of lung fibroblasts on lung cancer progression is not fully understood. Methods: Lung fibroblasts (HFL1, MRC5, and IMR90 cells) and non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC)-derived cell lines (A549, EBC1, and HI1017) were cultured under serum-free conditions, and the resulting culture media were designated "cell-conditioned media". Cell survival (viability) was assessed by WST-1 assay. Concentrations of hepatocyte growth factor (HGF) were measured by ELISA. The BALB/c-nu mouse strain was used for the xenograft model. Results: Lung fibroblast-conditioned media enhanced the survival of the three NSCLC cell lines tested. HGF was produced to a greater extent by lung fibroblasts than NSCLC cells. Exogenous HGF enhanced the survival of NSCLC cells. Either an anti-HGF neutralizing antibody or the Met inhibitor PHA-665752 inhibited the fibroblast-conditioned mediaenhanced survival of NSCLC cells. The co-inoculation of mice with NSCLC cells and fibroblasts enhanced tumorigenicity and tumor progression in a mouse xenograft model. PHA-665752 significantly inhibited tumor progression that occurred after the co-inoculation of NSCLC cells and fibroblasts. In addition, HGF production by fibroblasts was stimulated by NSCLC cells. Conclusions: The current study provides evidence for an interaction between fibroblasts and NSCLC cells via the HGF/ Met signaling pathway, which affects NSCLC cell survival and tumor progression. These findings may contribute to the development of anti-cancer-associated fibroblast therapeutic strategies.
CITATION STYLE
Kanaji, N., Yokohira, M., Nakano-Narusawa, Y., Watanabe, N., Imaida, K., Kadowaki, N., & Bandoh, S. (2017). Hepatocyte growth factor produced in lung fibroblasts enhances non-small cell lung cancer cell survival and tumor progression. Respiratory Research, 18(1). https://doi.org/10.1186/s12931-017-0604-z
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