In Vivo Detection of Circulating Cancer-Associated Fibroblasts in Breast Tumor Mouse Xenograft: Impact of Tumor Stroma and Chemotherapy.

ABSTRACT: Cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs) are important drivers in the tumor microenvironment and facilitate the growth and survival of tumor cells, as well as metastasis formation. They may travel together with tumor cells to support their survival and aid in the formation of a metastatic niche. In this study, we aimed to study circulating CAFs (cCAFs) and circulating tumor cells (CTCs) in a preclinical breast tumor model in mice in order to understand the effect of chemotherapy on cCAFs and CTC formation. Tumors with MDA-MB-231 human breast tumor cells with/without primary human mammary fibroblasts (representing CAFs) were coinjected in SCID mice to develop tumors. We found that the tumors with CAFs grew faster than tumors without CAFs. To study the effect of the stroma on CTCs and cCAFs, we

SUBMITTER: Lu T 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC9954095 | biostudies-literature | 2023 Feb

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature