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Cancer stem cells contribute to angiogenesis and lymphangiogenesis in serous adenocarcinoma of the ovary

Angiogenesis volume 22, pages 441–455 (2019)Cite this article

Abstract

The origin of blood and lymphatic vessels in high-grade serous adenocarcinoma of ovary (HGSOC) is uncertain. We evaluated the potential of cancer stem cells (CSCs) in HGSOC to contribute to their formation. Using spheroids as an in vitro model for CSCs, we have evaluated their role in primary malignant cells (PMCs) in ascites from previously untreated patients with HGSOC and cell lines. Spheroids from PMCs grown under specific conditions showed significantly higher expression of endothelial, pericyte and lymphatic endothelial markers. These endothelial and lymphatic cells formed tube-like structures, showed uptake of Dil-ac-LDL and expressed endothelial nitric oxide synthase confirming their endothelial phenotype. Electron microscopy demonstrated classical Weibel–Palade bodies in differentiated cells. Genetically, CSCs and the differentiated cells had a similar identity. Lineage tracking using green fluorescent protein transfected cancer cells in nude mice confirmed that spheroids grown in stem cell conditions can give rise to all three cells. Bevacizumab, a monoclonal antibody that targets vascular endothelial growth factor inhibited the differentiation of spheroids to endothelial cells in vitro. These results suggest that CSCs contribute to angiogenesis and lymphangiogenesis in serous adenocarcinoma of the ovary, which can be inhibited.

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Acknowledgements

We thank Department of Biotechnology (DBT), Government of India for funding this project and Indian Council for Medical Research (ICMR) for the Senior Research Fellowship for S.K.P, B.S and R.P.N. We also thank Department of Science and Technology and University Grants Commission for the Research Fellowships to M.P and S.S, respectively. We thank Dr.V.Sridevi and Dr.Ujwala, Cancer Institute for their help in identifying patients with ovarian cancer. We are grateful to the Staff and nurses of Department of Medical Oncology, flow cytometry facility at the Department of Molecular Oncology, Cancer Institute and IIT Madras, Departments of Electron microscopy, Pathology, Epidemiology and Statistics at Cancer Institute for their help. We also thank Dr.Manoj Garg for his suggestions and help for the in vivo experiments.

Funding

Funding were provided by Department of Biotechnology, Ministry of Science and Technology (Grant No. 102/IFD/SAN/890/2016-2017), Indian Council of Medical Research (Grant No. 3/2/2/169/2012-NCD III) and Department of Science and Technology, Ministry of Science and Technology (Grant No. IF40020).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Laboratory for Cancer Biology, Departments of Medical Oncology and Clinical Research, Cancer Institute (WIA), 38, Sardar Patel Road, Guindy, Chennai, 600036, India

    Syama Krishnapriya, Chirukandath Sidhanth, Pacharla Manasa, Smarakan Sneha, Sadhanandhan Bindhya, Rohit P. Nagare & Trivadi Sundaram Ganesan

  2. Department of Molecular Oncology, Cancer Institute (WIA), Chennai, 600036, India

    Balaji Ramachandran

  3. Department of Electron microscopy, Cancer Institute (WIA), Chennai, 600036, India

    Pushpa Vishwanathan

  4. Department of Pathology, Cancer Institute (WIA), Chennai, 600036, India

    Kanchan Murhekar & Sundersingh Shirley

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  1. Syama Krishnapriya
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  2. Chirukandath Sidhanth
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  3. Pacharla Manasa
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Contributions

SKP performed the in vitro experiments, analysed the results, compiled and prepared the manuscript; CS and PM assisted in designing and conducting signalling experiments, database analysis and maintenance of cell lines; SS, SKP and RPN processed primary ascites samples; SB performed transfection experiments; RB performed in vivo experiments; PV analysed the results of electron microscopy; KM and SS evaluated the histopathology staining and TSG designed the study and procured the funding, monitored and provided suggestions during the project and corrected the manuscript.

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Correspondence to Trivadi Sundaram Ganesan.

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Krishnapriya, S., Sidhanth, C., Manasa, P. et al. Cancer stem cells contribute to angiogenesis and lymphangiogenesis in serous adenocarcinoma of the ovary. Angiogenesis 22, 441–455 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10456-019-09669-x

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10456-019-09669-x

Keywords

  • Cancer stem cells
  • Endothelial cells
  • Pericytes
  • Lymphangiogenesis
  • Bevacizumab
  • Serous adenocarcinoma of ovary