Imaging the interaction of α v integrin‐GFP in osteosarcoma cells with RFP‐expressing host stromal cells and tumor‐scaffold collagen in the primary and metastatic tumor microenvironment

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Human osteosarcoma 143B cells were previously stably transfected with an αv integrin green flourescent protein (GFP) vector. 143B cells expressing αv integrin-GFP were transplanted orthotopically in the tibia of transgenic nude mice ubiquitously expressing red fluorescent protein (RFP). The primary tumors acquired RFP-expressing stroma and were passaged orthotopically in the tibia in noncolored nude mice, which maintained the RFP stroma. The interaction of αv integrin-GFP expression in 143B cells with RFP-expressing host stromal cells was observed by confocal microscopy using the Olympus FV1000. Collagen fibers were imaged simultaneously in reflectance mode. The RFP-expressing stroma included cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs) and tumor-associated macrophages (TAMs) which persisted even 3 weeks after passage to nontransgenic nude mice. CAFs expressing RFP were aligned between collagen fibers and cancer cells expressing αv integrin-GFP. Six weeks after transplantation, pulmonary metastases expressing αv integrin-GFP could be identified. TAMs expressing RFP accompanied metastasized osteosarcoma cells expressing αv integrin-GFP in the lung. The current study demonstrates the importance of αv integrin interaction with stromal elements in osteosarcoma.