Background
Gastric cancer (GC) is the third leading cause of cancer-related deaths worldwide. The enteric nervous system (ENS) has been suggested to be involved in cancer development and spread.
Conclusion
These results suggest a potential role of enteric neurons in the dissemination of GC cells, especially of the diffuse-type, partly through N-Cadherin.
Methods
Primary culture of gastric ENS (pcgENS), derived from a rat embryo stomach, was developed. The adhesion of GC cells to pcgENS was studied using a co-culture model. The role of N-Cadherin, a cell-adhesion protein, was evaluated.
Objective
To analyze the GC cell adhesion to the ENS in a model of co-culture of gastric ENS with GC cells.
Results
Compared to intestinal-type GC cells, the diffuse-type GC cancer cells showed higher adhesion to pcgENS (55.9% ± 1.075 vs. 38.9% ± 0.6611, respectively, p < 0.001). The number of diffuse-type GC cells adherent to pcgENS was significantly lower in neuron-free pcgENS compared to neuron-containing pcgENS (p = 0.0261 and 0.0329 for AGS and MKN45, respectively). Confocal microscopy showed that GC cells adhere preferentially to the neurons of the pcgENS. N-Cadherin blockage resulted in significantly decreased adhesion of the GC cells to the pcgENS (p < 0.01).