Human adipose-derived stem/stromal cells promote proliferation and migration in head and neck cancer cells

Introduction Human adipose-derived stem/stromal cells (ASCs) are increasingly used as auto-transplants in regenerative medicine to restore tissue defects or induce wound healing, especially in cancer patients. The impact of ASCs on squamous cell carcinoma of the upper aerodigestive tract (UAT) including head and neck and esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC and ESCC) is not yet fully understood.

Methods ASCs were cultured from subcutaneous, abdominal lipoaspirates of five patients, who received auto-transplants to the head and neck. Supernatants were tested for paracrine effects in functional in vitro assays of proliferation of HNSCC tumor cell line FaDu and ESCC cell line Kyse30 and their cell migration/invasion capacities in Boyden chambers as well as endothelial tube formation assay using human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVEC).

Results All ASC-derived supernatants enhanced proliferation of FaDu cells, invasive migration and tube formation by HUVEC, compared to controls. Out of five patients’ lipoaspirates, ASC-derived supernatants of four patients increased proliferation and invasive migration in Kyse30 cells.

Conclusions The data suggests that ASCs can promote tumor cell proliferation, invasiveness and neo-angiogenesis in these tumor cell lines of the UAT and HUVEC in a paracrine manner. Although clinical studies on the subject of oncological safety are still needed, these findings yet emphasize the importance of complete tumor removal before ASCs are used in the head and neck.

Friedrich-Baur-Stiftung

Conflict of Interest

The author declares that there is no conflict of interest.

Publication History

Article published online:
24 May 2022