Imaging the unfolded protein response in primary tumors reveals microenvironments with metabolic variations that predict tumor growth.

ABSTRACT: Cancer cells exist in harsh microenvironments that are governed by various factors, including hypoxia and nutrient deprivation. These microenvironmental stressors activate signaling pathways that affect cancer cell survival. While others have previously measured microenvironmental stressors in tumors, it remains difficult to detect the real-time activation of these downstream signaling pathways in primary tumors. In this study, we developed transgenic mice expressing an X-box binding protein 1 (XBP1)-luciferase construct that served as a reporter for endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress and as a downstream response for the tumor microenvironment. Primary mammary tumors arising in these mice exhibited luciferase activity in vivo. Multiple tumors arising in the same mouse had distinct XBP1-luci

SUBMITTER: Spiotto MT 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC2943832 | biostudies-literature | 2010 Jan

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature