Malignancy of bladder cancer cells is enhanced by tumor-associated fibroblasts through a multifaceted cytokine-chemokine loop.

The microenvironment of tumor cells is critically involved in tumor development and progression. Tumor-associated fibroblasts (TAFs) represent a major constituent of the tumor stroma. Tumor cells are operative in the activation of TAFs, whereas TAFs in turn contribute to tumor cell malignancy.

Tumor-stroma interactions in tumorigenesis: lessons from stem cell biology.

Research in recent years has accumulated a wealth of novel insight into mechanisms by which tumor cells interact with activated fibroblasts, endothelial cells, inflammatory and immune cells and the extracellular matrix. Cancer and stromal cells co-evolve throughout tumorigenesis. As a result, the tumor stroma is now regarded as an essential contributor to tumor establishment, progression and dissemination.

EGF/TGFβ1 co-stimulation of oral squamous cell carcinoma cells causes an epithelial-mesenchymal transition cell phenotype expressing laminin 332.

Epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) is suggested to be crucial for the development of an invasive and metastatic carcinoma cell phenotype. Therefore, the definition of this phenotype is of great clinical interest. We recently evidenced vimentin positive cells in oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) invasive front expressing laminin γ2 chain mRNA implicating an EMT origin of these cells.