Transforming growth factor-β-induced epithelial-mesenchymal transition facilitates epidermal growth factor-dependent breast cancer progression.

ABSTRACT: Transforming growth factor-β (TGF-β) and epidermal growth factor (EGF) have critical roles in regulating the metastasis of aggressive breast cancers, yet the impact of epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) induced by TGF-β in altering the response of breast cancer cells to EGF remains unknown. We show in this study that murine metastatic 4T1 breast cancer cells formed compact and dense spheroids when cultured under three-dimensional (3D) conditions, which was in sharp contrast to the branching phenotypes exhibited by their nonmetastatic counterparts. Using the human MCF10A series, we show that epithelial-type and nonmetastatic breast cancer cells were unable to invade to EGF, whereas their mesenchymal-type and metastatic counterparts readily invaded to EGF. Furthermore, EMT induced by TG

SUBMITTER: Wendt MK 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3076082 | biostudies-literature | 2010 Dec

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature