TY - JOUR
T1 - Enrichment map profiling of the cancer invasion front suggests regulation of colorectal cancer progression by the bone morphogenetic protein antagonist, gremlin-1
AU - Karagiannis, George S.
AU - Berk, Aaron
AU - Dimitromanolakis, Apostolos
AU - Diamandis, Eleftherios P.
PY - 2013/8
Y1 - 2013/8
N2 - The cancer invasion front (CIF), a spatially-recognized area due to the frequent presence of peritumoral desmoplastic reaction, represents a cancer site where many hallmarks of cancer metastasis occur. It is now strongly suggested that the desmoplastic microenvironment holds crucial information for determining tumor development and progression. Despite extensive research on tumor-host cell interactions at CIFs, the exact paracrine molecular network that is hardwired into the proteome of the stromal and cancer subpopulations remains partially understood. Here, we interrogated the signaling pathways and the molecular functional signatures across the proteome of a desmoplastic coculture model system of colorectal cancer progression. We discovered a group of bone morphogenetic protein (BMP) antagonists that coordinates major biological programs in CIFs, including cell proliferation, invasion, migration and differentiation processes. Using a mathematical model of cancer cell progression, coupled to invitro cell migration assays, we demonstrated that the prominent BMP antagonist gremlin-1 (GREM1) may trigger motility of cancer cell cohorts. Our data collectively demonstrate that the desmoplastic CIFs deploy a microenvironmental signature, based on BMP antagonism, in order to regulate the motogenic fates of cancer cell cohorts invading the adjacent stroma.
AB - The cancer invasion front (CIF), a spatially-recognized area due to the frequent presence of peritumoral desmoplastic reaction, represents a cancer site where many hallmarks of cancer metastasis occur. It is now strongly suggested that the desmoplastic microenvironment holds crucial information for determining tumor development and progression. Despite extensive research on tumor-host cell interactions at CIFs, the exact paracrine molecular network that is hardwired into the proteome of the stromal and cancer subpopulations remains partially understood. Here, we interrogated the signaling pathways and the molecular functional signatures across the proteome of a desmoplastic coculture model system of colorectal cancer progression. We discovered a group of bone morphogenetic protein (BMP) antagonists that coordinates major biological programs in CIFs, including cell proliferation, invasion, migration and differentiation processes. Using a mathematical model of cancer cell progression, coupled to invitro cell migration assays, we demonstrated that the prominent BMP antagonist gremlin-1 (GREM1) may trigger motility of cancer cell cohorts. Our data collectively demonstrate that the desmoplastic CIFs deploy a microenvironmental signature, based on BMP antagonism, in order to regulate the motogenic fates of cancer cell cohorts invading the adjacent stroma.
KW - Bone morphogenetic protein
KW - Cancer-associated fibroblasts
KW - Colorectal cancer
KW - Desmoplasia
KW - Gremlin-1
KW - Migration
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=84880723873&partnerID=8YFLogxK
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=84880723873&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1016/j.molonc.2013.04.002
DO - 10.1016/j.molonc.2013.04.002
M3 - Article
C2 - 23659962
AN - SCOPUS:84880723873
SN - 1574-7891
VL - 7
SP - 826
EP - 839
JO - Molecular Oncology
JF - Molecular Oncology
IS - 4
ER -