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Interaction between Cancer Cells and Stromal Fibroblasts Is Required for Activation of the uPAR-uPA-MMP-2 Cascade in Pancreatic Cancer Metastasis

Authors' Affiliation: Hepatobiliary Surgery Institute, Southwest Hospital, Third Military Medical University, Chongqing, P.R. China

Requests for reprints: Xiaowu Li, Hepatobiliary Surgery Hospital and Institute, Southwest Hospital, Third Military Medical University, Chongqing 400038, P.R. China. Phone: 86-23-6875-4156; Fax: 86-23-6531-7637; E-mail: lixw1966{at}yahoo.com.cn.

Purpose: Interaction between tumor cells and surrounding stromal fibroblast (SF) plays a critical role in tumor growth and invasion. The aim of the study is to determine the role of SF in regulating the invasive behaviors of pancreatic cancer by evaluating the mode of SF activating the urokinase plasminogen activator (uPA)-plasmin-matrix metalloproteinase (MMP)-2 cascade.

Experimental Design: The expression patterns of uPA, MMP-2, and uPA receptor (uPAR) in human metastatic pancreatic cancer were analyzed by immunohistochemistry and the roles of SF in activation of the uPA-plasmin-MMP-2 cascade were evaluated by coculturing pancreatic cancer cell lines with SF.

Results: uPA expression and fibroblastic uPAR expression were correlated with liver metastasis of human pancreatic cancer. MMP-2 rather than MMP-9 was activated in the metastatic pancreatic cancer. In the in vitro culture system, the coculture of peritumor fibroblasts with metastatic pancreatic cancer BxPc3 cells resulted in activation of MMP-2 and up-regulation of uPAR expression. In this coculture system, the uPA-plasminogen cascade was involved in MMP-2 activation. This activation required a direct interaction between SF and cancer cells. In the coculture system, intergrin ₆ß₁ expression was increased in BxPc3 cells, and blocking the function of integrin ₆ß₁ decreased the activation of uPA and MMP-2. This suggests that interaction between integrins of cancer cells and the uPARs of the SF might be involved in the activation of the uPAR-uPA-MMP-2 cascade.

Conclusion: Our results suggest that SF plays a role in promoting pancreatic cancer metastasis via activation of the uPA-plasminogen-MMP-2 cascade.

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