The pro- and anti-tumor roles of mesenchymal stem cells toward BRCA1-IRIS-overexpressing TNBC cells

To evaluate the cross-talk between BRCA1-IRIS (IRIS)-overexpressing (IRISOE) TNBC cells and tumor-resident mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) that triggers the aggressiveness or elimination of IRISOE TNBC tumors.

We analyzed the effect of silencing or inactivating IRIS on the bi-directional interaction between IRISOE TNBC cells and MSCs on tumor formation and progression. We analyzed the downstream signaling in MSCs induced by IL-6 secreted from IRISOE TNBC cells. We compared the effect of MSCs on the formation and progression of IRIS-proficient and deficient-TNBC cells/tumors using in vitro and in vivo models. Finally, we analyzed the association between IL-6, PTGER2, and PTGER4 overexpression and breast cancer subtype; hormone receptor status; and distant metastasis-free or overall survival.

We show high-level IL-6 secreted from IRISOE TNBC cells that enhances expression of its receptor (IL-6R) in MSCs, their proliferation, and migration toward IRISOE, in vitro, and recruitment into IRISOE TNBC tumors, in vivo. In serum-free medium, recombinant IL-6 and the IL-6-rich IRISOE TNBC cell condition media (CM) decreased STAT3^Y705 phosphorylation (p-STAT3^Y705) in MSCs. Inhibiting IRIS expression or activity prolonged STAT3^Y705 phosphorylation in MSCs. The interaction with IRISOE TNBC cells skewed MSC differentiation toward prostaglandin E₂ (PGE₂)-secreting pro-aggressiveness cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs). Accordingly, co-injecting human or mouse MSCs with IRISOE TNBC tumor cells promoted the formation of aggressive mammary tumors, high circulating IL-6 and PGE₂ levels, and reduced overall survival. In contrast, IRIS-silenced or inactivated cells showed reduced tumor formation ability, limited MSC recruitment into tumors, reduced circulating IL-6 and PGE₂ levels, and prolonged overall survival. A positive correlation between IL-6, PTGER2, and PTGER4 expression and basal phenotype; ER-negativity; distant metastasis-free and overall survival in basal; or BRCA^mutant carriers was observed. Finally, the bi-directional interaction with MSCs triggered death rather than growth of IRIS-silenced TNBC cells, in vitro and in vivo.

The IL-6/PGE₂-positive feedback loop between IRISOE TNBC tumor cells and MSCs enhances tumor aggressiveness. Inhibiting IRIS expression limits TNBC tumor growth and progression through an MSC-induced death of IRIS-silenced/inactivated TNBC cells.