Analysis of the expression profile of skin fibroblasts FACS-sorted from mice overexpressing activin and/or oncogenes of human papilloma virus 8 in keratinocytes.

Overexpression of activin by keratinocytes promotes HPV8-induced skin tumorigenesis in mice. Activin-promoted tumorigenesis is mediated via the stroma, specifically by cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs). To determine if activin alters the gene expression profile of skin fibroblasts, we performed RNA-sequencing of fibroblasts FACS-sorted from pre-cancerous ear skin of activin overexpressing mice. We found that activin induces a CAF-like gene expression profile of fibroblasts, leading to the upregulation of genes involved in proliferation, migration and cytoskeletal remodeling. Overall design: CD45-CD140a+ cells were FACS-sorted from the pre-cancerous ear skin of wt/wt, HPV8/wt, wt/Act and HPV8/Act mice and their expression profile was analysed by RNA-Sequencing. Experiment was performed in triplicates; for each replicate ear skin of 3-6 mice of corresponding genotype was pooled.