TNFa increases in vitro migration of human HPV18-positive SW756 cervical carcinoma cells

TNFα has been associated with both, tumor survival and apoptosis. This cytokine is also involved in promoting cell migration during wound healing and tumorigenesis. SW756 is a HPV18-positive cervical carcinoma cell line, which has been used to study different mechanisms of cervical cancer progres- sion. An in vitro assay of scratch wound healing onto monolayers of SW756 cells was used to assess the effect of TNFα on cell migration into a wound space. It was found that SW756 cells have the ability to migrate, but not proliferate in response to scratch wounding in a serum-free medium supplemented with TNFα. RT-PCR analysis showed that SW756 cells express TNFα mRNA when incubated in medium with and without serum. Wound closure and migration rate of SW756 cells were significantly increased in the presence of serum-free media supplemented with TNFα (10 ng/mL) as compared to serum-free media, and media supplemented with either anti-TNFα antibody or both TNFα and anti-TNFα antibody (p<0.05). The results showed a stimulatory effect of TNFα on the migration of SW756 cervical carcinoma cells, suggesting a novel and important role for TNFα in cervical cancer progression.