Ovarian cancer relies on the PDGFRβ-fibronectin axis for tumorsphere formation and metastatic spread

High-grade serous ovarian cancer (HGSOC) is the deadliest gynecological malignancy. The most common form of metastatic spread of HGSOC is transcoelomic dissemination. In this process, detached cells from the primary tumor aggregate as tumorspheres and promote the accumulation of peritoneal ascites....

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Detalles Bibliográficos
Autores: Gendrau-Sanclemente, Núria, Figueras i Amat, Agnès, Gracova, Kristina, Lahiguera, Álvaro, Alsina Sanchís, Elisenda, Marín Jiménez, Juan A., Vidal-Bel, August, Matias-Guiu, Xavier, 1958-, Fernández González, Sergi, Barahona, Marc, Martí, Lola, Ponce i Sebastià, Jordi, Viñals Canals, Francesc
Tipo de recurso: artículo
Estado:Versión publicada
Fecha de publicación:2023
País:España
Institución:Universidad de Barcelona
Repositorio:Dipòsit Digital de la UB
OAI Identifier:oai:diposit.ub.edu:2445/221876
Acceso en línea:https://hdl.handle.net/2445/221876
Access Level:acceso abierto
Palabra clave:Ascites
Càncer d'ovari
Fibroblasts
Ovarian cancer
Descripción
Sumario:High-grade serous ovarian cancer (HGSOC) is the deadliest gynecological malignancy. The most common form of metastatic spread of HGSOC is transcoelomic dissemination. In this process, detached cells from the primary tumor aggregate as tumorspheres and promote the accumulation of peritoneal ascites. This represents an early event in HGSOC development and is indicative of poor prognosis. In this study, based on tumorspheres isolated from ascitic liquid samples from HGSOC patients, ovarian cancer spheroid 3D cultures, and in vivo models, we describe a key signal for tumorsphere formation in HGSOC. We report that platelet-derived growth factor receptor beta (PDGFRβ) is essential for fibronectin-mediated cell clustering of ovarian cancer cells into tumorspheres. This effect is mediated by the kinase NUAK family SNF1-like kinase 1 (NUAK1) and blocked by PDGFRβ pharmacological or genetic inhibition. In the absence of PDGFRβ, ovarian cancer cells can be provided with fibronectin by cancer-associated fibroblasts to generate chimeric spheroids. This work provides new insights that uncover potential targets to prevent peritoneal dissemination, the main cause of advanced disease in HGSOC patients.