Cumulus Cells Are Potential Candidates for Cell Therapy

• Published in: In vivo (Athens) Vol. 33; no. 6; pp. 1921 - 1927
• Main Authors: Mohammed, Eslam Essam, Yilmaz, Sema, Akcin, Oya Alagoz, Nalbantoglu, Barbaros, Ficicioglu, Cem, Sahin, Fikrettin, Coban, Esra Aydemir
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Greece International Institute of Anticancer Research 01.11.2019
• Subjects: Apoptosis - physiology; Biomarkers, Tumor - metabolism; Cell Line, Tumor; Cell- and Tissue-Based Therapy; Cumulus Cells - cytology; Cumulus Cells - metabolism; Down-Regulation - physiology; Gene Expression Profiling - methods; Humans; Hyaluronan Receptors - metabolism; Oocytes - cytology; Oocytes - metabolism; Pancreatic Neoplasms - metabolism; pancreatic cancer; oocyte; granulosa cells; BxPC-3
• ISSN: 0258-851X; 1791-7549
• DOI: 10.21873/invivo.11686

Cumulus cells (CCs) originate from the membrane granulosa cells and surround oocytes during follicle maturation. CCs produce high levels of hyaluronan that targets CD44, which is a major tumorigenic marker. This study aimed to investigate whether CCs have a role in cell therapy by targeting CD44 in pancreatic cancer cells. CCs were isolated from the oocytes and incubated in a hypoxic environment. BxPC-3 pancreatic cancer cells were treated with CC conditioned media for three days. Conditioned media of CC cells incubated in hypoxic conditions caused a 25% reduction in the viability of BxPC-3 cells. Expression of anti-apoptotic genes was down-regulated, while that of pro-apoptotic genes was upregulated. An increased number of BxPC-3 cells exhibited increased levels of reactive oxygen species and arrested in the synthesis (S) phase of the cell cycle. CCs conditioned medium induced apoptosis of pancreatic cancer cells.