BACKGROUND: Fibroblast activation protein (FAP) is one of the surface markers of cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs) and is closely related to the malignant characterization of CAFs. SP13786 is a specific micromolecule inhibitor of FAP and this study is to investigate the effects and mechanism of SP13786 on the migration and invasion of A549 cells through regulating exosomes of CAFs. METHODS: CAFs and paracancerous fibroblasts (PTFs) were isolated and subcultured from freshly resected lung adenocarcinoma tissues and paracancerous normal tissues separately. MTT assay was used to detect the proliferation of CAFs incubated by different concentrations of SP13786; PTFs-exo, CAFs-exo and CAFs+SP13786-exo were extracted by polymer precipitation method. The A549 cells were divided into Ctrl group, PTFs group, CAFs group and SP13786 group and each group was incubated with DMEM, PTFs-exo, CAFs-exo and CAFs+SP13786-exo separately. Laser confocal microscope was used to observe the endocytoses of exosomes by A549 cells. The expression of alpha-smooth muscle actin (α-SMA) and FAP in PTFs and CAFs and the expression of E-cadherin, N-cadherin, Slug, Stat3 and P-Stat3 in A549 cells were detected by immunofluorescence, immunohistochemistry and Western blot. The migration and invasion ability of A549 cells were detected by cell scratch and transwell methods. RESULTS: α-SMA and FAP were expressed much higher in CAFs than that in PTFs which indicate that CAFs and PTFs were successfully obtained from lung adenocarcinoma and paracancerous tissues (P<0.05). MTT showed that the 50% inhibitory concentration (IC50) of SP13786 for CAFs was about 3.3 nmol/L. In addition, SP13786 can significantly decrease the expression of α-SMA and FAP in CAFs which means that targeted inhibition of FAP could reduce the malignant characteristics of CAFs (P<0.05). Laser confocal microscope found that exosomes from CAFs could be taken up by A549 cells and scratch and transwell tests showed that the endocytosed CAFs-exo could promote the migration and invasion of A549 cells (P<0.001), while FAP inhibitor SP13786 could inhibit the effects of CAFs-exo on A549 cells (P<0.05). Furthermore, Immunofluorescence and Western blot showed that CAFs-exo could promote EMT by decreasing E-cadherin expression and increasing N-cadherin, Slug expression in A549 cells while FAP inhibitor SP13786 could significantly supress CAFs-exo-induced epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) of A549 cells (P<0.05). Moreover, the expression of P-Stat3 was obviously increased in A549 cells of CAFs group and significantly down-regulated in SP13786 group (P<0.05) whereas there was no significant difference in total Stat3 between CAFs and SP13786 groups (P>0.05). Finally, WP1066 (a specific inhibitor of Stat3) was used to comfirm whether SP13786 could influence EMT of A549 cells by inhibiting Stat3 phosphorylation via CAFs-Exo. The results showed that when the phosphorylation of Stat3 in CAFs group was inhibited by WP1066, SP13786 could not influence the P-Stat3 expression and EMT of A549 cells anymore (P>0.05). CONCLUSIONS: As a specific micromolecule inhibitor of FAP, SP13786 indirectly inhibits the migration and invasion of A549 cells by affecting exosomes of CAFs. The possible mechanism is to inhibit the phosphorylation of Stat3 and thus affect the EMT of A549 cells.
BACKGROUND: Fibroblast activation protein (FAP) is one of the surface markers of cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs) and is closely related to the malignant characterization of CAFs. SP13786 is a specific micromolecule inhibitor of FAP and this study is to investigate the effects and mechanism of SP13786 on the migration and invasion of A549 cells through regulating exosomes of CAFs. METHODS: CAFs and paracancerous fibroblasts (PTFs) were isolated and subcultured from freshly resected lung adenocarcinoma tissues and paracancerous normal tissues separately. MTT assay was used to detect the proliferation of CAFs incubated by different concentrations of SP13786; PTFs-exo, CAFs-exo and CAFs+SP13786-exo were extracted by polymer precipitation method. The A549 cells were divided into Ctrl group, PTFs group, CAFs group and SP13786 group and each group was incubated with DMEM, PTFs-exo, CAFs-exo and CAFs+SP13786-exo separately. Laser confocal microscope was used to observe the endocytoses of exosomes by A549 cells. The expression of alpha-smooth muscle actin (α-SMA) and FAP in PTFs and CAFs and the expression of E-cadherin, N-cadherin, Slug, Stat3 and P-Stat3 in A549 cells were detected by immunofluorescence, immunohistochemistry and Western blot. The migration and invasion ability of A549 cells were detected by cell scratch and transwell methods. RESULTS: α-SMA and FAP were expressed much higher in CAFs than that in PTFs which indicate that CAFs and PTFs were successfully obtained from lung adenocarcinoma and paracancerous tissues (P<0.05). MTT showed that the 50% inhibitory concentration (IC50) of SP13786 for CAFs was about 3.3 nmol/L. In addition, SP13786 can significantly decrease the expression of α-SMA and FAP in CAFs which means that targeted inhibition of FAP could reduce the malignant characteristics of CAFs (P<0.05). Laser confocal microscope found that exosomes from CAFs could be taken up by A549 cells and scratch and transwell tests showed that the endocytosed CAFs-exo could promote the migration and invasion of A549 cells (P<0.001), while FAP inhibitor SP13786 could inhibit the effects of CAFs-exo on A549 cells (P<0.05). Furthermore, Immunofluorescence and Western blot showed that CAFs-exo could promote EMT by decreasing E-cadherin expression and increasing N-cadherin, Slug expression in A549 cells while FAP inhibitor SP13786 could significantly supress CAFs-exo-induced epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) of A549 cells (P<0.05). Moreover, the expression of P-Stat3 was obviously increased in A549 cells of CAFs group and significantly down-regulated in SP13786 group (P<0.05) whereas there was no significant difference in total Stat3 between CAFs and SP13786 groups (P>0.05). Finally, WP1066 (a specific inhibitor of Stat3) was used to comfirm whether SP13786 could influence EMT of A549 cells by inhibiting Stat3 phosphorylation via CAFs-Exo. The results showed that when the phosphorylation of Stat3 in CAFs group was inhibited by WP1066, SP13786 could not influence the P-Stat3 expression and EMT of A549 cells anymore (P>0.05). CONCLUSIONS: As a specific micromolecule inhibitor of FAP, SP13786 indirectly inhibits the migration and invasion of A549 cells by affecting exosomes of CAFs. The possible mechanism is to inhibit the phosphorylation of Stat3 and thus affect the EMT of A549 cells.
Morphology and phenotypic identification of primary isolated CAFs and PTFs. A: Morphological features of primary cultured PTFs and CAFs (×100). B: The expression levels of α-SMA and FAP in CAFs and PTFs were analyzed by immunofluorescence technique. The slide was stained with 4', 6-diamidino-2-phenylindole (DAPI, blue), FAP antibody (green) and α-SMA antibody (red); C: The expression levels of FAP in CAFs and PTFs were analyzed by immunohistochemistry (×100). CAFs: cancer-associated fibroblasts; PTFs: peri-tumer fibroblasts; α-SMA: alpha-smooth muscle actin; FAP: fibroblast activation protein.
原代分离的CAFs和PTFs形态及表型鉴定。A:显微镜下观察CAFs及PTFs的细胞形态(×100);B:免疫荧光检测α-SMA及FAP在CAFs和PTFs中的表达;C:免疫组化检测α-SMA在CAFs和PTFs中的表达量(×100)。Morphology and phenotypic identification of primary isolated CAFs and PTFs. A: Morphological features of primary cultured PTFs and CAFs (×100). B: The expression levels of α-SMA and FAP in CAFs and PTFs were analyzed by immunofluorescence technique. The slide was stained with 4', 6-diamidino-2-phenylindole (DAPI, blue), FAP antibody (green) and α-SMA antibody (red); C: The expression levels of FAP in CAFs and PTFs were analyzed by immunohistochemistry (×100). CAFs: cancer-associated fibroblasts; PTFs: peri-tumer fibroblasts; α-SMA: alpha-smooth muscle actin; FAP: fibroblast activation protein.
Effects of SP13786 on the proliferation of CAFs and the expression of FAP and α-SMA. A: MTT was used to detect the proliferation rate of CAFs; B, C: The expression of α-SMA and FAP was detected by Western blot (B) and immunofluorescence (C); D: Expression of FAP detected by immunohistochemistry (×200). *P < 0.05; **P < 0.01.
SP13786对CAFs的增殖及FAP、α-SMA表达的影响。A:MTT检测CAFs增殖率;B、C:Western blot和免疫荧光检测α-SMA及FAP的表达;D:免疫组化检测FAP的表达(×200)。*P < 0.05;**P < 0.01。Effects of SP13786 on the proliferation of CAFs and the expression of FAP and α-SMA. A: MTT was used to detect the proliferation rate of CAFs; B, C: The expression of α-SMA and FAP was detected by Western blot (B) and immunofluorescence (C); D: Expression of FAP detected by immunohistochemistry (×200). *P < 0.05; **P < 0.01.
Identification of exosomes and intercellular metastasis. A: Transmission electron micrograph of PTFs-exo, CAFs-exo and CAFs+SP13786-exo; B: The PTFs-exo, CAFs-exo and CAFs+SP13786-exo (red) were absorbed by A549 cells.
外泌体的鉴定与细胞摄取。A:PTFs-exo、CAFs-exo和CAFs+SP13786-exo的透射电镜照片;B:PTFs-exo、CAFs-exo和CAFs+SP13786-exo(红色)进入A549细胞。Identification of exosomes and intercellular metastasis. A: Transmission electron micrograph of PTFs-exo, CAFs-exo and CAFs+SP13786-exo; B: The PTFs-exo, CAFs-exo and CAFs+SP13786-exo (red) were absorbed by A549 cells.
Effects of SP13786 on the morphology, invasion and migration of A549 cells through CAFs-exo. A: The effect of PTFs-exo, CAFs-exo and CAFs+SP13786-exo on the morphology of A549 cells (×100); B: Transwell assays were performed to evaluate cell invasive ability after 24h (×200); C, D: Transwell assays (C, ×200) and wound healing assays (D, ×40) were performed to evaluate cell migration ability after 24 h. *P < 0.05; ***P < 0.001.
SP13786通过CAFs-exo对A549细胞形态、迁移及侵袭的影响。A:PTFs-exo、CAFs-exo和CAFs+SP13786-exo对A549细胞形态的影响(×100);B:Transwell检测24 h后PTFs-exo、CAFs-exo和CAFs+SP13786-exo对A549细胞侵袭能力的影响(×200);C、D:Transwell迁移实验(C, ×200)和划痕实验(D, ×40)检测24 h后PTFs-exo、CAFs-exo和CAFs+SP13786-exo对A549细胞迁移能力的影响。*P < 0.05;***P < 0.001。Effects of SP13786 on the morphology, invasion and migration of A549 cells through CAFs-exo. A: The effect of PTFs-exo, CAFs-exo and CAFs+SP13786-exo on the morphology of A549 cells (×100); B: Transwell assays were performed to evaluate cell invasive ability after 24h (×200); C, D: Transwell assays (C, ×200) and wound healing assays (D, ×40) were performed to evaluate cell migration ability after 24 h. *P < 0.05; ***P < 0.001.
Effects of SP13786 on EMT and Stat3 phosphorylation in A549 cells via CAFs-exo. A-C: The expression levels of E-cadherin, N-cadherin, Slug, Stat3 and P-Stat3 were detected by immunofluorescence (A), Western blot (B) and immunohistochemistry (C, ×200); D: Western blot to detect the expression of E-cadherin, N-cadherin, Stat3 and P-Stat3. *P < 0.05; **P < 0.01; ***P < 0.001. E-cad: E-cadherin; N-cad: B-cadherin.
SP13786通过CAFs-exo对A549细胞EMT及Stat3磷酸化的影响。A-C:免疫荧光、Western blot和免疫组化检测E-cadherin、N-cadherin、Slug、Stat3及P-Stat3的表达量;D:Western blot检测E-cadherin、N-cadherin、Stat3及P-Stat3的表达量。*P < 0.05;**P < 0.01;***P < 0.001。Effects of SP13786 on EMT and Stat3 phosphorylation in A549 cells via CAFs-exo. A-C: The expression levels of E-cadherin, N-cadherin, Slug, Stat3 and P-Stat3 were detected by immunofluorescence (A), Western blot (B) and immunohistochemistry (C, ×200); D: Western blot to detect the expression of E-cadherin, N-cadherin, Stat3 and P-Stat3. *P < 0.05; **P < 0.01; ***P < 0.001. E-cad: E-cadherin; N-cad: B-cadherin.
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