The following is a summary of “Cancer-Associated Fibroblasts Exert Proangiogenic Activity in Merkel Cell Carcinoma” published in the June 2023 issue of Investigative Dermatology by Albertini et al.
The microenvironment surrounding a tumor is a complex niche composed of extracellular matrix, blood vessels, immune cells, and fibroblasts that continuously interact with cancer cells. Although tumor microenvironment is increasingly recognized as a critical factor in the initiation and progression of cancer in various tumor types, its role in Merkel cell carcinoma (MCC) pathogenesis remains unknown.
In this study, researchers provide a molecular and functional characterization of cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs), the predominant component of the tumor microenvironment, in xenografts derived from MCC patients. They demonstrate that subcutaneous injection of patient-derived CAFs and human MCC MKL-1 cells into mice with severe combined immunodeficiency significantly promotes tumor growth and metastasis. These rapidly expanding xenografts are distinguished by areas densely populated with human CAFs primarily localized around blood vessels.
They provide evidence that the growth-promoting activity of MCC-derived CAFs is mediated by the aminopeptidase A/angiotensin II and III/angiotensin II type 1 receptor axis, with aminopeptidase A expression in CAFs serving as a stimulus. Their findings point to aminopeptidase A as a candidate for therapeutic intervention and a potential marker for MCC prognostic stratification.
Source: sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0022202X22028962
