Endometriosis-associated mesenchymal stem cells support ovarian clear cell carcinoma through iron regulation

In this study, we identified a subset of endometriosis derived mesenchymal stem cells (enMSCs) characterized by loss of CD10 expression that specifically support OCCC growth. RNA sequencing identified alterations in iron export in CD10 negative enMSCs and reciprocal changes in metal transport in co-cultured OCCC cells. CD10 negative enMSCs exhibited elevated expression of iron export proteins hephaestin and ferroportin and donate iron to associated OCCCs, functionally increasing the levels of labile intracellular iron. Iron is necessary for OCCC growth, and CD10-negative enMSCs prevented the growth inhibitory effects of iron chelation. Additionally, enMSC-mediated increases in OCCC iron resulted in a unique sensitivity to ferroptosis. In vitro and in vivo, treatment with the ferroptosis inducer erastin resulted in significant death of cancer cells grown with CD10-negative enMSCs. Collectively, this work describes a novel mechanism of stromal-mediated tumor support via iron donation. This work also defines an important role of endometriosis-associated MSCs in supporting OCCC growth and identifies a critical therapeutic vulnerability of OCCC to ferroptosis based on stromal phenotype.PMID:36219681 | DOI:10.1158/0008-5472.CAN-22-1294
Source: Cell Research - Category: Cytology Authors: Source Type: research