Direct interactions between human mesenchymal stem cells and ovarian cancer cells

Abstract

To employ a co-culture system of human mesenchymal stem cells (MSC) and ovarian cancer cells to elucidate the cellular interactions among ovarian tumor microenvironment. MSC and ovarian cancer cells of SK-OV-3, NIH:OVCAR-3 and SCCOHT-1 were transfected with third-generation lentiviral self-inactivating (SIN) vector containing enhanced green fluorescent protein (eGFP) or mCherry gene. The interactions between MSC and ovarian cancer cells were examined by fluorescence microscopy with appropriate monochrome fluorescence filters and a FITC/TRIC dual band fluorescence filter. Flow cytometry of both cells revealed a differential expression of cell surface markers during co-culturing. Moreover, microarray was used for further analyses of gene variation during co-culturing of both MSC and ovarian cancer cells. MSCs were successfully isolated from umbilical cords. After 5-6 days co-culturing of lentivirus eGFP-transduced human MSC with mCherry-labeled ovarian cancer cells, there was a growth stimulation of cancer cells by MSC accompanied by an induction of CD90, partial CD73 and CD105 in cancer cells and CD326 in MSC. Microarray data also showed various significant gene variations during co-culturing. Human MSCs highly stimulate the growth and expression of CD90, partial CD73 and CD105 in ovarian cancer cells during co-culturing. And mutual cellular protein exchanges result in CD326 expression and gene alteration in MSC.