The remarkable plasticity of Schwann cells (SCs) enables the acquisition of repair-specific functions essential for peripheral nerve regeneration. We hypothesized that this plastic potential is manifested in stromal SCs found within mostly benign-behaving peripheral neuroblastic tumors. To shed light on the cellular state and impact of stromal SCs, we performed transcriptome profiling of human ganglioneuromas and neuroblastomas, rich and poor in SC-stroma, respectively, as well as human injured nerves, rich in repair SCs. The results revealed a nerve repair-characteristic gene expression signature of stromal SCs. In turn, primary repair SCs had a pro-differentiating and anti-proliferative effect on aggressive neuroblastoma cell lines after direct and trans-well co-culture. Within the pool of secreted stromal/repair SC factors, we identified EGFL8, a matricellular protein with so far undescribed function, to induce neuronal differentiation of neuroblastoma cell lines. This study indicates that stromal SCs underwent an adaptive response to neuroblastic tumor cells and exert repairassociated functions in the microenvironment resulting in a benign tumor development.Further, SC-derived factors, such as EGFL8, may be of therapeutic value for aggressive, SCstroma poor neuroblastomas.
SYNOPSISIn order to investigate the nature of stromal Schwann cells in benign peripheral neuroblastic tumors (ganglioneuromas), we compared the cellular state of stromal Schwann cells with repair-associated Schwann cells emerging in peripheral nerves after injury.
⢠Stromal Schwann cells in ganglioneuromas and repair Schwann cells in injured nervesshare the expression of nerve repair-associated genes.⢠Neuroblastoma cell lines, derived from high-risk metastatic peripheral neuroblastic tumors (neuroblastomas), respond to primary repair Schwann cells and their secretome with increased neuronal differentiation and reduced proliferation. ⢠Stromal and repair Schwann cells express the matricellular protein EGFL8, which is capable to induce neuronal differentiation of neuroblastoma cell lines in recombinant form. Human Schwann Cell Plasticity Weiss, Taschner-Mandl et al Page 4 of 48 ABBREVIATIONS SC ⌠Schwann cell NT ⌠peripheral neuroblastic tumor NB ⌠neuroblastoma GNB ⌠ganglioneuroblatoma GN ⌠ganglioneuroma RT ⌠room temperature IF ⌠immunofluorescence
THE PAPER EXPLAINED
ProblemIn response to peripheral nerve damage, Schwann cells (SCs) are able to transform into specialized repair cells essential for nerve cell regeneration. Our previous studies indicated that this reactive/adaptive potential of human SCs is not restricted to injured nerve cells but also emerges in response to peripheral neuroblastic tumor cells. The usually benign subtypes of peripheral neuroblastic tumors, i.e. ganglioneuroblastomas and ganglioneuromas, contain neuronal differentiating tumor cells and are pervaded by various portions of stromal SCs. Of note, the amount of stromal SCs correlates with a favorable tumor behavior and increased patient survival, whereas aggre...