Control of breast cancer growth and initiation by the stem cell-associated transcription factor TCF3

ABSTRACT: Regulatory factors controlling stem cell identity and self-renewal are often active in aggressive cancers and are thought to promote their growth and progression. TCF3 (also known as TCF7L1) is a member of the TCF/LEF transcription factor family that is central in regulating epidermal and embryonic stem (ES) cell identity. We found that TCF3 is highly expressed in poorly differentiated human breast cancers, preferentially of the basal-like subtype. This suggested that TCF3 is involved in the regulation of breast cancer cell differentiation state and tumorigenicity. Silencing of TCF3 dramatically decreased the ability of breast cancer cells to initiate tumor formation, and led to decreased tumor growth rates. In culture, TCF3 promotes the sphere formation capacity of breast cancer cells and

ORGANISM(S): Homo sapiens

SUBMITTER: Granit Roy 

PROVIDER: S-ECPF-GEOD-38893 | biostudies-other |

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-other