Gene and miRNA expression profiling of primary cell cultures of lung fibroblasts obtained from cancer or normal tissue of lung cancer patients

There is increasing evidence for a crucial contribution of the tumor microenvironment to cancer development and progression since several stromal components, including fibroblasts, interact with cancer cells regulating their behavior and ultimately affecting tumor phenotype. To investigate the cross-talk between cancer cells and lung-derived fibroblasts we have prospectively collected surgical specimens of lung cancer and normal lung tissue and established primary fibroblast cultures from different areas of the lungs. We have generated cultures from cancer specimens (Cancer Associated Fibroblasts, CAF) and cultures from normal lung tissue either proximal (Adjacent Fibroblasts, AF) or distant from the neoplastic lesion (Normal fibroblasts, NF). Gene and miRNA expression profiles were obtained from 60 cultures to identify fibroblast properties related to cancer progression. Primary cultures of patient-derived fibroblasts (CAF n=27, NF n=21, AF n=12) were comparatively analyzed for gene and miRNA expression profiles with the aim to define transcriptional pathways responsible for fibroblast activation. This Series contains miRNA samples.