ECM microenvironment regulates collective migration and local dissemination in normal and malignant mammary epithelium.

ABSTRACT: Breast cancer progression involves genetic changes and changes in the extracellular matrix (ECM). To test the importance of the ECM in tumor cell dissemination, we cultured epithelium from primary human breast carcinomas in different ECM gels. We used basement membrane gels to model the normal microenvironment and collagen I to model the stromal ECM. In basement membrane gels, malignant epithelium either was indolent or grew collectively, without protrusions. In collagen I, epithelium from the same tumor invaded with protrusions and disseminated cells. Importantly, collagen I induced a similar initial response of protrusions and dissemination in both normal and malignant mammary epithelium. However, dissemination of normal cells into collagen I was transient and ceased as laminin 111 local

SUBMITTER: Nguyen-Ngoc KV 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3465416 | biostudies-literature | 2012 Sep

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature