a Institut für Molekulare Medizin, Medizinische Universität zu Lübeck, Ratzeburger Allee 160, 23538 Lübeck, Germany
b Forschungszentrum Borstel, Parkallee 22, 23845 Borstel, Germany
Abstract:
We investigated whether components of the extracellular matrix have the potential to regulate the proliferative activity of endometrial adenocarcinoma cells. Culturing of cells on the reconstituted basement membrane matrigel™ down-regulated the steady-state mRNA levels of the proliferation associated protein, Ki-67, in the endometrial adenocarcinoma cell lines HEC 1B(L) and Ishikawa after 48–96 h of culture on the matrix substrate. Proliferation of Ishikawa was stimulated again if cells were cultured on matrigel and challenged by proteins representing functional domains of tenascin-C, a mesenchymal glycoprotein. The fibronectin-type-III-like repeats 6–8 of tenascin-C were found to be the most potent. In summary, evidence is provided that components of both epithelial and stromal extracellular matrices can function as regulators of cell growth.