Malignant Potential of Colonic-Tumor Associated Fibroblasts Derived from a Model of Inflammation Induced Carcinogenesis

Fibroblasts are stromal cells that synthesize collagen and secrete a variety of growth factors and proteins such as thrombospondin 1 (TSP1 or Thbs1), a matricellular protein involved in cancer and angiogenesis. In this study, we investigate the malignant potential of fibroblasts from colonic inflammation-induced cancers lacking TSP1. Wild type and thrombospondin deficient mice were injected with a single dose of azoxymethane while dextran sodium sulfate was administered during multiple cycles. Tumors were harvested and tumor associated fibroblasts were isolated, cultured and processed for whole exome sequencing.