Cell-Matrix Interaction: Activation of the MAP Kinase Signaling Pathway in Salivary Gland Cells

The extracellular matrix is a highly organized structure of all tissues and organs, which defines tissue organization and cellular function, amongst many other tasks. Salivary gland cells secrete and adhere to the extracellular matrix (ECM) for survival. However, during tumor progression and metastasis, salivary gland cancer cells secrete cancerous ECM, that promotes cells to survive. Cancer progression and survival is characterized by a complex reciprocity between these cells and the cancerous ECM. The goal of this study is to determine the role of cancerous ECM in the adhesion of normal salivary gland cells. For this purpose, we explored the use of the cancerous ECM of pleomorphic adenomas to culture normal salivary gland cells. Results from this study depict the differentiation role of the cancerous ECM in transforming normal human salivary gland cells into a cancer specific lineage by activating the MAP kinase ERK1/2 signaling cascade. Activation of the MAP kinase signaling pathway is known to have the ability to control expression of certain proteins, including fos related antigen-1(Fra-1) and dentin matrix protein 1 (DMP1), two proteins whose presence has been noted in various cancers. The goal of this study is to determine the role of cancerous ECM in the adhesion of normal salivary gland cells, as well as its effect on protein expression of Fra-1 and DMP1. Overall, this study will help in designing an in vitro tool to study salivary gland cancer progression