Figure 4.

Normal fibroblasts, but not myofibroblasts isolated from a CD patient restrain the growth of cancer cells. (A,B) HCT116 and Hke-3 cells were cultured alone or in the presence of 30 or 50% of conditioned medium from 18Co cells, intestinal myofibroblasts from a normal donor (HIF), or from a patient with CD as indicated. MTT assay was performed as described in the Section “Materials and Methods.” (C) Spheroids of HCT116 cells were generated using a hanging drop technique. Spheroids were generated using control medium (10% MEM), medium containing 10% conditioned medium from 18Co cells (10% CM-18Co) or THP1 macrophages (10% CM-THP1). Alternatively, spheroids were generated by combining HCT116 and 18Co cells (HCT116–18Co). ^#p < 0.05, *p < 0.005, compared to control cells; NS, non-significant.