Myofibroblasts in pulmonary and brain metastases of alveolar soft-part sarcoma: a novel target for treatment?

Neoplasia. 2008 Sep;10(9):940-8. doi: 10.1593/neo.08456.

Abstract

Alveolar soft-part sarcoma (ASPS) is a rare neoplasm with chromosomal translocation that results in ASPL-TFE3 fusion. It is a slow-growing lesion associated with a high incidence of pulmonary and brain metastases indicating poor survival. We demonstrated that the ASPS metastases include also stromal myofibroblasts. These cells proliferate, express smooth-muscle genes, and synthesize extracellular matrix proteins, all of which are characteristics of activated myofibroblasts. The tumor cells also exhibited stromal components such as transforming growth factor beta (TGFbeta)-dependent, hypoxia-regulated cytoglobin (stellate cell activation association protein, cytg/STAP) and prolyl 4-hydroxylase, a collagen cross-linking enzyme. The pulmonary ASPS myofibroblasts synthesize serum response factor (SRF), a repressor of Smad3-mediated TGFbeta signaling essential for myofibroblast differentiation and Smad3. The phosphorylated active Smad3 was found mostly in the tumor cells. The brain tumor cells express cytg/STAP, but in contrast to the lung metastases, they also express SRF, Smad3, and phospho-Smad3. Halofuginone, an inhibitor of myofibroblasts' activation and Smad3 phosphorylation, inhibited tumor development in xenografts derived from renal carcinoma cells harboring a reciprocal ASPL-TFE3 fusion transcript. This inhibition was associated with the inhibition of TGFbeta/SRF signaling, with the inhibition of myofibroblasts' activation, and with the complete loss in TFE3 synthesis by the tumor cells. These results suggest that the myofibroblasts may serve as a novel target for treatment of ASPS metastases.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Adolescent
  • Brain Neoplasms / secondary*
  • Cytoglobin
  • Female
  • Fibroblasts / metabolism
  • Globins / metabolism
  • Humans
  • Intracellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins
  • Lung Neoplasms / secondary*
  • Male
  • Muscle Neoplasms / pathology*
  • Myoblasts / metabolism
  • Oncogene Proteins, Fusion
  • Procollagen-Proline Dioxygenase / metabolism
  • Sarcoma, Alveolar Soft Part / genetics*
  • Serum Response Factor / metabolism
  • Smad3 Protein / metabolism*
  • Young Adult

Substances

  • ASPSCR1 protein, human
  • CYGB protein, human
  • Cytoglobin
  • Intracellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins
  • Oncogene Proteins, Fusion
  • SMAD3 protein, human
  • Serum Response Factor
  • Smad3 Protein
  • Globins
  • Procollagen-Proline Dioxygenase