The Influence of Autophagy-Modulating Drugs on the Expression of Markers Associated with Cancer-Associated Fibroblasts and Epithelial–Mesenchymal Transition in a Mouse Model of Skin Melanoma
摘要
The expression of cancer-associated fibroblast (CAF) and epithelial–mesenchymal transition marker proteins was assessed in tumor samples of B16 skin melanoma-bearing mice after chloroquine or lithium administration. Chloroquine increased the expression of CAF markers (αSMA and FAP). Hence, chloroquine can contribute to the activation of individual CAF populations in melanoma. In addition, a decrease in the expression of the epithelial marker E-cadherin and an increase in the expression of the mesenchymal marker vimentin were observed after chloroquine administration, which may indicate activation of epithelial–mesenchymal transition processes in the tumor.