Differentiation and loss of malignant character of spontaneous pulmonary metastases in patient-derived breast cancer models.

ABSTRACT: Patient-derived human-in-mouse xenograft models of breast cancer (PDX models) that exhibit spontaneous lung metastases offer a potentially powerful model of cancer metastasis. In this study, we evaluated the malignant character of lung micrometastases that emerge in such models after orthotopic implantation of human breast tumor cells into the mouse mammary fat pad. Interestingly, relative to the parental primary breast tumors, the lung metastasis (met)-derived mammary tumors exhibited a slower growth rate and a reduced metastatic potential with a more differentiated epithelial status. Epigenetic correlates were determined by gene array analyses. Lung met-derived tumors displayed differential expression of negative regulators of cell proliferation and metabolism and positive regulators of

SUBMITTER: Bockhorn J 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4310213 | biostudies-literature | 2014 Dec

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature