El factor de crecimiento epidérmico induce transición epitelio-mesénquima en cultivos primarios de cáncer de mama

Background

Epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) is a biological process where immobile and polarised epithelial cells acquire mesenchymal characteristics with high migration. This process produces changes in the cytoskeleton of the tumour cells, with the loss of E-cadherin and the acquisition of N-cadherin being the main biochemical changes of the EMT. This study investigates the role of epidermal growth factor (EGF) on the EMT induction in breast cancer cell lines and primary cultures.

Methods

MCF-7 cell line and the primary cultures MBCDF and MBCD25 were used in this study. EMT was induced by continuous EGF treatment. Mesenchymal EGF-induced phenotype was evaluated by Western blot of the following markers: pSTAT3, STAT3, repression of E-cadherin, and expression of Snail.

Results

Our results demonstrate that EGF treatment induced STAT3 phosphorylation without changes in STAT3 in MBCDF, MBCD25 and MCF-7. Additionally, EGF treatment induced EMT, as shown by the loss of E-cadherin and Snail expression after 5 days.

Conclusion

EGF was able to induce EMT in primary breast cancer cell cultures, MBCDF, MBCD25, as well as MCF-7 cell line. These results suggest that EGF produces a putative aggressive phenotype.