Type I collagen inhibits differentiation and promotes a stem cell-like phenotype in human colorectal carcinoma cells
Kirkland SC et al. - In a study to investigate the role of type I collagen in specifying the colorectal cancer (CRC) cell phenotype, these results indicate that type I collagen promotes expression of a stem cell-like phenotype in human CRC cells likely through α2β1 integrin. Methods- The effect of type I collagen on morphology, localisation of cell–cell adhesion proteins, differentiation, and stem cell-like characteristics was examined in a panel of human CRC cell lines.
Results- Human CRC cells grown on type I collagen in serum-free medium show an epithelial–mesenchymal-like transition (EMT-like), assuming a more flattened less cohesive morphology.
- Type I collagen downregulates E-cadherin and β-catenin at cell–cell junctions.
- Type I collagen inhibits differentiation, increases clonogenicity, and promotes expression of stem cell markers CD133 and Bmi1.
- Type I collagen effects were partially abrogated by a function-blocking antibody to α2 integrin.
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