Cell Migration in Endometriosis Responds to Omentum-Derived Molecular Cues Similar to Ovarian Cancer
Endometriosis is common and poses significant morbidity of lasting impact to young, pre-menopausal women, while ovarian cancer is a lethal gynecologic condition. Both conditions need better treatment. The human omentum is an apron of adipose tissue in the abdominopelvic cavity, the same space in which endometriosis and ovarian cancer manifest. We aim to determine molecular cues emitted by the omentum that aid the trans-coelomic spread of endometriosis and ovarian cancer in the abdomen-pelvic/peritoneal space. Endometriosis and ovarian cancer patients were prospectively recruited. Primary cell cultures of surgically-resected omentum, endometriosis and ovarian cancer were generated, and conditioned media (CM) from the omentum was derived. They were used for in vitro assays to evaluate the effect of the omentum on cell migration, angiogenesis and proliferation in endometriosis and ovarian cancer. Omental CM promoted cell migration in primary cultures of endometriosis and ovarian cancer. Omental CM contained high levels of HGF, SDF-1a, MCP-1, VEGF-A, IL-6 and IL-8. The observed cell migration was blocked by c-MET inhibition, suggesting that HGF/c-MET signaling mediates cell migration in endometriosis and ovarian cancer. Furthermore, PTTG1 was consistently upregulated in the migrated cells in both endometriosis and ovarian cancer. The omentum provides a favorable environment for trans-coelomic spread of endometriosis and ovarian cancer. HGF, c-MET and PTTG1 are potential therapeutic targets for inhibiting the abdomen-pelvic/peritoneal spread of endometriosis and ovarian cancer.
Authors
- Terence You De Cheng
- Sangeeta Mantoo (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4799-4845)
- Wai Loong Wong (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6045-2266)
- Chit Fang Cheok (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8242-3995)
- Ronald Chin Hong Goh
- Su Ling Yu (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6166-305X)
- Tze Tein Yong
- Ravichandran Nadarajah
- Inny Busmanis
- Wan‐Teck Lim (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4655-0206)
- Andy Wei Keat Tan
- Qiu Ju Ng (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3202-1661)
- Elaine Hsuen Lim (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4660-3187)
- Hong Liang Chua (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0009-0003-4963-3116)
- Su Chin Tham (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0009-0009-6837-5267)
- Kah Yee Goh (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7945-204X)
- Junjie Wang (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1388-076X)
- Tew Hong Ho
- Shing Lih Wong
- JiHoon Kang (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7231-5480)
- Hemashree Rajesh (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2539-7609)
- Sun Kuie Tay (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7243-4578)
- Amos Zhi En Tay
- Kah Weng Lau
- Sung Hock Chew
- Ghee Kheng Chew
- Timothy Yong Kuei Lim
Institutions
- Agency for Science, Technology and Research (SG)
- National University of Singapore (SG)
- Singapore General Hospital (SG)
- KK Women's and Children's Hospital (SG)
- Université Bourgogne Franche-Comté (FR)
- Duke-NUS Medical School (SG)
- National Cancer Centre Singapore (SG)
- National University Hospital (SG)
- Institute of Molecular and Cell Biology (SG)
Publication Details
- Journal
- International Journal of Molecular Sciences
- Published
- 2025-02-20
- DOI
- https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms26051822
- Citations
- 2
- Primary Topic
- Endometriosis Research and Treatment
- Type
- article
- Field-Weighted Citation Impact
- 3.40
Funders
- National Cancer Centre of Singapore
- Duke-NUS Medical School
- Agency for Science, Technology and Research
- Institute of Molecular and Cell Biology