Expression of cell cycle regulator cdk2ap1 suppresses tumor cell phenotype by non-cell-autonomous mechanisms.

We evaluated the effect of expressing the cell cycle regulator cdk2ap1 in epithelial or stromal cell compartments to reduce SCC growth in vitro and in vivo. Cell-autonomous and/or non-cell-autonomous expression of cdk2ap1 reduced tumor growth and invasion and altered cell cycle, adhesion, invasion, angiogenesis, and apoptotic gene expression, as assessed by several in vitro phenotype assays, quantitative real-time PCR, and in vivo molecular imaging using a novel three-way xenograft animal model. Our findings suggest that the interactions between cancer cells and fibroblasts that promote abnormal growth can be minimized by expressing cdk2ap1, supporting a novel concept by which tumor/growth suppressor genes can impact tumorigenesis phenotypes from non-cell-autonomous interactions within the tumor microenvironment.