Stromal expression of c-Ets1 transcription factor correlates with tumor invasion.

The stroma reaction has an important role in tumor growth, invasion, and metastasis. In various invasive human carcinomas, as well as in a mouse model for tumor invasion, transcripts encoding the transcription factor c-Ets1 were detected within stromal fibroblasts, whereas they were absent in epithelial tumor cells. This expression of c-Ets1 was often increased in fibroblasts directly adjacent to neoplastic cells. Endothelial cells of stromal capillaries were also positive for c-Ets1 expression. In contrast, fibroblasts of corresponding noninvasive lesions and of normal tissues were consistently negative. In cultured human fibroblasts stimulated by basic fibroblast growth factor and tumor necrosis factor alpha, the expression of c-Ets1 correlated with the accumulation of transcripts for potential target genes, collagenase-1 and stromelysin-1. The same correlation was observed in some of the invasive carcinomas investigated. These results suggest that c-Ets1 participates in the regulation of tumor invasion in vivo.