Research team Arne Östman

The research aims at a better understanding of the paracrine interplay in the tumor microenvironment between malignant cells, fibroblasts, vascular cells and immune cells. Particular attention is given to the roles of the PDGF system in this context. During the last years we have also identified other proteins, involved in this interplay, that affect tumor growth and metastasis.

Tumor microenvironment

Projects commonly integrate experimental studies and profiling of clinical samples. Studies have been performed across a broad range of tumor types, including breast, prostate, ovarian, colorectal and kidney cancer. A series of ongoing studies take advantage of novel methods for high content tissue profiling, which are used both for tumor biology discovery and identification of drug targets and biomarkers.

The group actively encourage studies that take advantage of the complementary expertise of biologists, pathologists and oncologists. The group also has a longstanding track-record of studies performed in collaborations with pharma companies and biotech start-up companies.

Group members

Arne Östman, Professor, Group Leader
Lina Leiss, PhD, Postdoc
Wiem Chaabane, PhD, Postdoc
Alfonso Martin Bernabe, PhD, Postdoc
Vladan Milosevic, MD, PhD, Postdoc
Alessandro Mega, PhD (affiliated)
Linglong Huang, MD, PhD student
Hanna Dahlstrand, MD, PhD, PI
Li Yi, MD, PhD, Postdoc
Pia Österlund, Adjunct Professor, MD, PhD

10 Selected publications since 2012

Fibroblast subsets in non-small cell lung cancer: associations with survival, mutations, and immune features.
Pellinen T, Paavolainen L, Martín-Bernabé A, Papatella Araujo R, Strell C, Mezheyeuski A, Backman M, La Fleur L, Brück O, Sjölund J, Holmberg E, Välimäki K, Brunnström H, Botling J, Moreno-Ruiz P, Kallioniemi O, Micke P, Östman A
J Natl Cancer Inst 2022 Sep;():

High PDGFRb Expression Predicts Resistance to Radiotherapy in DCIS within the SweDCIS Randomized Trial.
Strell C, Folkvaljon D, Holmberg E, Schiza A, Thurfjell V, Karlsson P, Bergh J, Bremer T, Akslen LA, Wärnberg F, Östman A
Clin Cancer Res 2021 06;27(12):3469-3477

Impact of Epithelial-Stromal Interactions on Peritumoral Fibroblasts in Ductal Carcinoma in Situ.
Strell C, Paulsson J, Jin SB, Tobin NP, Mezheyeuski A, Roswall P, Mutgan C, Mitsios N, Johansson H, Wickberg SM, Svedlund J, Nilsson M, Hall P, Mulder J, Radisky DC, Pietras K, Bergh J, Lendahl U, Wärnberg F, Östman A
J Natl Cancer Inst 2019 09;111(9):983-995

A Novel ACKR2-Dependent Role of Fibroblast-Derived CXCL14 in Epithelial-to-Mesenchymal Transition and Metastasis of Breast Cancer.
Sjöberg E, Meyrath M, Milde L, Herrera M, Lövrot J, Hägerstrand D, Frings O, Bartish M, Rolny C, Sonnhammer E, Chevigné A, Augsten M, Östman A
Clin Cancer Res 2019 Jun;25(12):3702-3717

Local and systemic protumorigenic effects of cancer-associated fibroblast-derived GDF15.
Bruzzese F, Hägglöf C, Leone A, Sjöberg E, Roca MS, Kiflemariam S, Sjöblom T, Hammarsten P, Egevad L, Bergh A, Ostman A, Budillon A, Augsten M
Cancer Res 2014 Jul;74(13):3408-17

Cancer-associated fibroblasts expressing CXCL14 rely upon NOS1-derived nitric oxide signaling for their tumor-supporting properties.
Augsten M, Sjöberg E, Frings O, Vorrink SU, Frijhoff J, Olsson E, Borg Å, Östman A
Cancer Res 2014 Jun;74(11):2999-3010

Selective activation of oxidized PTP1B by the thioredoxin system modulates PDGF-β receptor tyrosine kinase signaling.
Dagnell M, Frijhoff J, Pader I, Augsten M, Boivin B, Xu J, Mandal PK, Tonks NK, Hellberg C, Conrad M, Arnér ES, Östman A
Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2013 Aug;110(33):13398-403

Distinct effects of ligand-induced PDGFRα and PDGFRβ signaling in the human rhabdomyosarcoma tumor cell and stroma cell compartments.
Ehnman M, Missiaglia E, Folestad E, Selfe J, Strell C, Thway K, Brodin B, Pietras K, Shipley J, Östman A, Eriksson U
Cancer Res 2013 Apr;73(7):2139-49

STC1 expression by cancer-associated fibroblasts drives metastasis of colorectal cancer.
Peña C, Céspedes MV, Lindh MB, Kiflemariam S, Mezheyeuski A, Edqvist PH, Hägglöf C, Birgisson H, Bojmar L, Jirström K, Sandström P, Olsson E, Veerla S, Gallardo A, Sjöblom T, Chang AC, Reddel RR, Mangues R, Augsten M, Ostman A
Cancer Res 2013 Feb;73(4):1287-97

The tumor microenvironment controls drug sensitivity.
Ostman A
Nat Med 2012 Sep;18(9):1332-4

Full list of publications

19-09-2022