Blockade of CCN6 (WISP3) activates growth factor-independent survival and resistance to anoikis in human mammary epithelial cells.

ABSTRACT: CCN6 is a secreted cysteine-rich matricellular protein (36.9 kDa) that exerts growth-inhibitory functions in breast cancer. Reduction or loss of CCN6 protein has been reported in invasive carcinomas of the breast with lymph node metastasis and in inflammatory breast cancer. However, the mechanism by which CCN6 loss promotes breast cancer growth remains to be defined. In the present study, we developed lentiviral-mediated short hairpin RNA CCN6 knockdown (KD) in nontumorigenic mammary epithelial cells MCF10A and HME. We discovered that CCN6 KD protects mammary epithelial cells from apoptosis and activates growth factor-independent survival. In the absence of exogenous growth factors, CCN6 KD was able to promote growth under anchorage-independent conditions and triggered resistance to detach

SUBMITTER: Huang W 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC2856127 | biostudies-literature | 2010 Apr

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature