Carcinoma-associated Fibroblasts Affect Proliferation of Lingual Squamous Carcinoma Cells

Objective: To study the effects of oral carcinoma-associated fibroblasts(CAFs)on the proliferation of lingual squamous carcinoma cells, and to explore the possible mechanisims. Methods: By establishing interaction models between oral CAFs and a lingual carcinoma cell line, Tca8113, the effects of oral CAFs on the viability and cell cycle of Tca8113 were studied through morphological observation, MTT assay and flow cytometry. The amount of keratinocyte growth factor (KGF) secreted from oral CAFs was measured by ELISA. The changes of ERK signal pathway in Tca8113 stimulated by oral CAFs were detected by Western blotting. Results: Oral CAFs could increase the viability of Tca8113 and induce more carcinoma cells to enter into G2 and S phase. Furthermore, oral CAFs secreted significantly higher level of KGF compared with normal fibroblasts (NFs), as well as led to a rapid and remarkable activation of ERK signal pathway in Tca8113. Conclusions: Oral CAFs could promote the proliferation of oral squamous carcinoma cells, and the mechanisms might be the powerful secretion ability of CAFs and their activation to the signal pathways in carcinoma cells, thus providing evidence for using CAFs as a novel target in anticancer therapy.