Transdifferentiation of Umbilical Cord MSCs into Cancer-associated MSCs Induced by Gastric Cancer Cells

Abstract: This work was aimed to investigate the transdifferentiation of human umbilical cord mesenchymal stem cells (hucMSCs) into cancer-associated MSCs induced by the supernatant from gastric cancer cells culture medium and the effect of induced hucMSCs on the proliferation and migration of gastric cancer cells.The supernatant from gastric cancer cells HGC-27 culture medium was prepared， mixed with equal volume of low glucose DMEM and used to culture hucMSCs for 48 h. The expression of cancer-associated MSCs related proteins and miR-221 in hucMSCs were detected. After that the supernatant from induced hucMSCs culture medium was mixed with equal volume of high glucose DMEM to treat HGC-27 for 48 h and then the proliferation and migration of HGC-27 were observed. Moreover， HGC-27 was cocultured with hucMSCs and then the capabilities of proliferation and migration of HGC-27 were observed. The protein levels of vimentin and fibroblast activation protein (FAP) were increased and the expression of miR-221 was upregulated in hucMSCs after treated by the supernatant from gastric cancer cells culture medium. The supernatant from induced hucMSCs culture medium promoted HGC-27 proliferation and migration. The capabilities of proliferation and migration of HGC-27 after cocultured with hucMSCs were significantly enhanced. The results above declared that the supernatant from gastric cancer cells culture medium induced hucMSCs， equipping them with carcer-associated MSC-like phenotype and the capability of promoting the proliferation and migration of gastric cancer cells， which provided basis for the remodeling of the tumor microenvironment cells and the assessment of hucMSCs application safety.

CSTR: 32200.14.cjcb.2015.09.0008