Wharton’s Jelly-Derived Mesenchymal Stromal Cells and Fibroblast-Derived Extracellular Matrix Synergistically Activate Apoptosis in a p21-Dependent Mechanism in WHCO1 and MDA MB 231 Cancer Cells In Vitro

Figure 8

WHCO1 cells are able to recover from the effect of both MSCs and the fd-ECM. (a) Western blot analysis of WHCO1 lysates using antibodies against PCNA, MMP-2, Bcl-xL, and cyclin D1. WHCO1 cells were cocultured with MSCs followed by a 16-day recovery period. Recovery was achieved by removing WHCO1 cells from coculture and growing cells in normal DMEM media in plastic culture dishes. GAPDH was used as a loading control. (b) Western blot analysis of WHCO1 lysates using antibodies against PCNA, MMP-2, Bcl-xL, and cyclin D1. WHCO1 cells were cultured on fd-ECM for 48 hrs followed by a 16-day recovery period. Recovery was achieved by transferring and growing cells in plastic dishes. GAPDH was used as a loading control. ((c)-(d)) Prolonged culture of cancer cells on fd-ECM is able to maintain cancer cell gene downregulation. RT-qPCR analysis was performed to assess expression levels of PCNA, BCL-2, c-MYC, and MMP-2 in WHCO1 and MDA MB 231 cells cultured on fd-ECM over 16 days. ((e)-(f)) Prolonged coculture is unable to maintain WHCO1 and MDA MB 231 cellular gene downregulation. RT PCR analysis was performed to assess expression levels of PCNA, BCL-2, c-MYC, and MMP-2 in WHCO1 and MDA MB 231 cells cocultured with MSCs over 16 days.

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