Behind Brain Metastases Formation: Cellular and Molecular Alterations and Blood-Brain Barrier Disruption.

ABSTRACT: Breast cancer (BC) brain metastases is a life-threatening condition to which accounts the poor understanding of BC cells' (BCCs) extravasation into the brain, precluding the development of preventive strategies. Thus, we aimed to unravel the players involved in the interaction between BCCs and blood-brain barrier (BBB) endothelial cells underlying BBB alterations and the transendothelial migration of malignant cells. We used brain microvascular endothelial cells (BMECs) as a BBB in vitro model, under conditions mimicking shear stress to improve in vivo-like BBB features. Mixed cultures were performed by the addition of fluorescently labelled BCCs to distinguish individual cell populations. BCC-BMEC interaction compromised BBB integrity, as revealed by junctional proteins (β-catenin and zon

SUBMITTER: Godinho-Pereira J 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC8268492 | biostudies-literature | 2021 Jun

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature