Evidence map›Paper›PMID 41102702›Full record

ArticleCell communication and signaling : CCS2025

Crosstalk between tumor endothelial cells and cancer cells is important for metastasis initiation.

Victor Oginga Oria, Joana Leitao Castro, Jéssica de Pina Roque, Alejandro Gutierrez Martinez, Freia Isak Jørgensen, Marie Vestergaard Lukassen, Leonor Rib, Mia Kristine Grønning Høg, Kasper Johansen Mygind, Janine Terra Erler

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Cell communication and signaling : CCS, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 3 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
3citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

3 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Article
  2. Review
  3. Review
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

10 authors.

Victor Oginga OriaBiotech Research and Innovation Center (BRIC), University of Copenhagen (UCPH), Copenhagen, Denmark. victor.oria@bric.ku.dk.
Joana Leitao CastroBiotech Research and Innovation Center (BRIC), University of Copenhagen (UCPH), Copenhagen, Denmark.
Jéssica de Pina RoqueBiotech Research and Innovation Center (BRIC), University of Copenhagen (UCPH), Copenhagen, Denmark.
Alejandro Gutierrez MartinezBiotech Research and Innovation Center (BRIC), University of Copenhagen (UCPH), Copenhagen, Denmark.
Freia Isak JørgensenBiotech Research and Innovation Center (BRIC), University of Copenhagen (UCPH), Copenhagen, Denmark.
Marie Vestergaard LukassenDTU Bioengineering, Technical University of Denmark (DTU), Lyngby, Denmark.
Leonor RibBiotech Research and Innovation Center (BRIC), University of Copenhagen (UCPH), Copenhagen, Denmark.
Mia Kristine Grønning HøgBiotech Research and Innovation Center (BRIC), University of Copenhagen (UCPH), Copenhagen, Denmark.
Kasper Johansen MygindBiotech Research and Innovation Center (BRIC), University of Copenhagen (UCPH), Copenhagen, Denmark.
Janine Terra ErlerBiotech Research and Innovation Center (BRIC), University of Copenhagen (UCPH), Copenhagen, Denmark. janine.erler@bric.ku.dk.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundMetastasis is a major contributor of cancer-related mortality and involves complex crosstalk between cancer cells and stromal cells modulated by various cytokines and growth factors. While the endothelium is essential for supplying nutrients and oxygen, little is known about its role in metastasis initiation. Determining the effect of endothelial-derived angiocrine factors on cancer cells may explain the mechanisms regulating metastasis initiation.

resultsIn this study, we investigated the role of normal endothelial cells (NEC) and tumor endothelial cells (TEC) in regulating the rate-limiting steps of metastasis initiation. First, we demonstrated that TEC have a higher proliferation, migration, and angiogenic potential than NEC. TEC-conditioned media significantly promoted chemotaxis, invasion, and proliferation of cancer cells relative to NEC-conditioned media. Additionally, TEC facilitated faster cell-cell adhesion to tumor cells than NEC. Mass spectrometry analysis of endothelial cell secretome revealed higher levels of PDGF-AA, PDGF-C, and VEGFA in TEC-conditioned medium, which were associated with enriched PI3K-AKT, MAPK, and RAS signaling pathways, as well as regulation of actin cytoskeleton and focal adhesion. In vitro functional studies using recombinant proteins showed that PDGF-AA and PDGF-C significantly promoted cancer cell chemotaxis and invasion without affecting proliferation. However, unlike VEGFA, PDGF-AA and PDGF-C did not affect endothelial cell tube formation or vascular permeability. Interestingly, neutralization of TEC-derived PDGF-C signficantly inhibited tumor cell chemotaxis and invasion, and attenuated EphA2/AKT/P38/ERK signaling in vitro. In vivo, the co-injection of TEC and 4T1 cells resulted in significantly higher primary breast tumor growth and liver metastasis in an orthotopic mouse model.

conclusionOur results demonstrate that crosstalk between cancer cells and TEC, partly through angiocrine factors in the TME, induces the rate-limiting steps of metastasis initiation.

Indexed as

Cell CommunicationEndothelial CellsNeoplasmsAnimalsCell AdhesionCell Line, TumorCell MovementCell ProliferationCulture Media, ConditionedFemaleHumansMiceNeoplasm MetastasisSignal TransductionCulture Media, ConditionedAngiocrine factorsEndotheliumMetastasisNECTEC

Identifiers

PMID41102702
PMCPMC12533004

What Socratic holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY-NC-ND
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the Socratic graph.