Pathomimetic avatars reveal divergent roles of microenvironment in invasive transition of ductal carcinoma in situ.

ABSTRACT:

Background

The breast tumor microenvironment regulates progression of ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS) to invasive ductal carcinoma (IDC). However, it is unclear how interactions between breast epithelial and stromal cells can drive this progression and whether there are reliable microenvironmental biomarkers to predict transition of DCIS to IDC.

Methods

We used xenograft mouse models and a 3D pathomimetic model termed mammary architecture and microenvironment engineering (MAME) to study the interplay between human breast myoepithelial cells (MEPs) and cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs) on DCIS progression.

Results

Our results show that MEPs suppress tumor formation by DCIS cells in vivo even in the presence of CAFs. In the in vitro MAME model, MEPs reduce the size o

SUBMITTER: Sameni M 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5433063 | biostudies-literature | 2017 May

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature