Modulation of collagen and fibronectin synthesis in fibroblasts by normal and malignant cells

The influence of various normal and malignant human cells on the level of collagen synthesis by human fibroblasts was tested in coculture. As revealed by immunoperoxidase staining, in cocultures with breast adenocarcinoma cells (MCF7, SA52, T47D) fibroblasts synthesized collagen while tumor cells did not. Fibroblasts displayed increased collagen production without change in the overall protein synthesis. Several other types of cells derived from normal human tissues (keratinocytes, normal mammary cells) or from fibrosarcoma, melanoma, cervical carcinoma, choriocarcinoma, or other breast adenocarcinoma (SW613, MDA, BT20) did not affect collagen synthesis of fibroblasts. Although to a lesser extent, this stimulating effect was reproduced by using the conditioned medium (CM) of the active cells but not with CM of the other cell types. A slight stimulation was also obtained when tumoral MCF7 cells and fibroblasts shared the same medium but were physically separated, suggesting that close contact was required for optimal stimulation of collagen synthesis. The collagen synthesis stimulating activity was not related to a modification of fibroblast proliferation rate. The production of collagen types I, III, and VI and fibronectin were increased in cocultures of fibroblasts with MCF7 cells. The increased synthesis of collagen types I and III and fibronectin was paralleled by similar changes in the steady-state level of their mRNAs. On the contrary, the increased production of collagen type VI appeared regulated at a post-transcriptional level.