Mesothelial cells stimulate the anchorage-independent growth of human ovarian tumour cells

Peritoneal mesothelium promotes the progression of ovarian cancer cells in vitro and in a mice xenograft model in vivo

“…Despite the fact that the overwhelming majority of available literature favors the second scenario by showing multiplicity of HPMC-driven activities that contribute to ovarian cancer progression both in vitro and in vivo [5,[12][13][14], there is still a fallacy pointing to the protective role (as a "barrier") of HPMCs [2,3,15]. The rationale for the latter is, however, strange, since the lack of mesothelium under the ovarian tumor mass due to its retraction via cancer spheroid myosin-generated forces [3] does not mean that these cells were unable to initially exert (when still present, especially at the time of cancer adhesion) certain procancerogenic effects.…”

Mesothelial cells induce the motility of human ovarian carcinoma cells

“…*p Ͻ 0.01, Student's t-test. mesothelium surface (Niedbala et al, 1985;Wilson, 1989). Cultured human mesothelial cells express adhesion molecules (Jonjic et al, 1992;Cannistra et al, 1994) which are functionally relevant for the interaction with tumor cells.…”

“…The mesothelium, a single layer of flat cells which covers the peritoneal cavity, plays a relevant role in the spreading of ovarian cancer, since it acts as a site for tumor cell attachment, implantation and growth (Wilson, 1989). The attachment of ovarian carcinoma cells to the peritoneal mesothelium is followed by pseudopodialike extensions of the tumor cells, disruption of mesothelial intercellular junctions and retraction of the mesothelial cells with subsequent exposure of the underlying matrix where tumor cells adhere and proliferate (Niedbala et al, 1985;Sawada et al, 1994).…”

c-Met Overexpression Is a Prognostic Factor in Ovarian Cancer and an Effective Target for Inhibition of Peritoneal Dissemination and Invasion

“…Subsequent peritoneal implants are characterized by the adhesion and invasion of tumor cells into the peritoneum, leading to miliary dissemination. Mesothelial cells cover the abdominal cavity and all internal organs and lie on an extracellular matrix (ECM) containing fibronectin, vitronectin, and collagen (3,26,27). The mesothelium is the first surface encountered by tumor cells, and successful adhesion to mesothelial cells is important in the metastasis formation of ovarian cancer cells (28).…”