Periostin+ stromal cells guide lymphovascular invasion by cancer cells

摘要: Cancer cell dissemination to sentinel lymph nodes is associated with poor patient outcomes, particularly in breast cancer. The process by which cancer cells egress from the primary tumor upon interfacing with the lymphatic vasculature is complex and driven by dynamic interactions between cancer cells and stromal cells, including cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAF). The matricellular protein periostin can distinguish CAF subtypes in breast cancer and is associated with increased desmoplasia and disease recurrence in patients. However, as periostin is secreted, periostin-expressing CAFs are difficult to characterize in situ, limiting our understanding of their specific contribution to cancer progression. Here, we used in vivo genetic labeling and ablation to lineage trace periostin+ cells and characterize their functions during tumor growth and metastasis. Periostin-expressing CAFs were spatially found at …