Cell facilitation promotes growth and survival under drug pressure in breast cancer.

ABSTRACT: The interplay of positive and negative interactions between drug-sensitive and resistant cells influences the effectiveness of treatment in heterogeneous cancer cell populations. Here, we study interactions between estrogen receptor-positive breast cancer cell lineages that are sensitive and resistant to ribociclib-induced cyclin-dependent kinase 4 and 6 (CDK4/6) inhibition. In mono- and coculture, we find that sensitive cells grow and compete more effectively in the absence of treatment. During treatment with ribociclib, sensitive cells survive and proliferate better when grown together with resistant cells than when grown in monoculture, termed facilitation in ecology. Molecular, protein, and genomic analyses show that resistant cells increase metabolism and production of estradiol, a hi

SUBMITTER: Emond R 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC10310817 | biostudies-literature | 2023 Jun

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature