Cadherin-23 mediates heterotypic cell-cell adhesion between breast cancer epithelial cells and fibroblasts.

ABSTRACT: In the early stages of breast cancer metastasis, epithelial cells penetrate the basement membrane and invade the surrounding stroma, where they encounter fibroblasts. Paracrine signaling between fibroblasts and epithelial tumor cells contributes to the metastatic cascade, but little is known about the role of adhesive contacts between these two cell types in metastasis. Here we show that MCF-7 breast cancer epithelial cells and normal breast fibroblasts form heterotypic adhesions when grown together in co-culture, as evidenced by adhesion assays. PCR and immunoblotting show that both cell types express multiple members of the cadherin superfamily, including the atypical cadherin, cadherin-23, when grown in isolation and in co-culture. Immunocytochemistry experiments show that cadherin-23 l

SUBMITTER: Apostolopoulou M 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3296689 | biostudies-literature | 2012

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature