The synergistic effect of cadmium and epithelial-fibroblast crosstalk in prostate cancer progression

Cadmium is a ubiquitous cancer-causing agent found in air, water, soil, and food [1]. Studies have shown that dietary as well as occupational exposure to cadmium leads to its accumulation in the body [2]. The role of cadmium (Cd) in the initiation of prostate cancer (PCa) is well established but research in this domain has majorly been restricted to the prostatic epithelium. This approach fails to consider the effects of cadmium on other prostatic cell types, primarily the fibroblast cells which surrounds the epithelium. Although the prostatic tumor microenvironment (TME) comprises of both cell types together, not much data is available on the effects of these cell types on each other in the presence of cadmium. We hypothesize that a direct or indirect cellular crosstalk exists between epithelial and fibroblast cells. Following cadmium exposure, this crosstalk forms a positive feedback system wherein the epithelial cells induces a cancer-like phenotype in fibroblast cells and vise versa.