Fibroblast activation protein-α (FAP-α) promotes tumor growth and cell invasiveness through extracellular matrix degradation. How ultraviolet radiation (UVR), the major risk factor for malignant melanoma, influences the expression of FAP-α is unknown. We examined the effect of UVR on FAP-α expression in melanocytes, keratinocytes and fibroblasts from the skin and in melanoma cells. UVR induces upregulation of FAP-α in fibroblasts, melanocytes and primary melanoma cells (PM) whereas keratinocytes and metastatic melanoma cells remained FAP-α negative. UVA and UVB stimulated FAP-α-driven migration and invasion in fibroblasts, melanocytes and PM. In co-culture systems UVR of melanocytes, PM and cells from regional metastases upregulated FAP-α in fibroblasts but only supernatants from non-irradiated PM were able to induce FAP-α in fibroblasts. Further, UV-radiated melanocytes and PM significantly increased FAP-α expression in fibroblasts through secretory crosstalk via Wnt5a, PDGF-BB and TGF-β1. Moreover, UV radiated melanocytes and PM increased collagen I invasion and migration of fibroblasts. The FAP-α/DPPIV inhibitor Gly-ProP(OPh)2 significantly decreased this response implicating FAP-α/DPPIV as an important protein complex in cell migration and invasion. These experiments suggest a functional association between UVR and FAP-α expression in fibroblasts, melanocytes and melanoma cells implicating that UVR of malignant melanoma converts fibroblasts into FAP-α expressing and ECM degrading fibroblasts thus facilitating invasion and migration. The secretory crosstalk between melanoma and tumor surrounding fibroblasts is mediated via PDGF-BB, TGF-β1 and Wnt5a and these factors should be evaluated as targets to reduce FAP-α activity and prevent early melanoma dissemination.

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