The Expression Profile of the RANK/RANKL/OPG Pathway in Breast Cancer Stem Cells Isolated From Breast Cancer Cell Lines

The RANK/RANKL/OPG signaling pathway plays a crucial role in breast cancer progression and metastasis. However, its expression patterns and potential implications in breast cancer stem cells remain poorly understood. This study aimed to characterize the expression profile of this pathway in breast cancer stem cells isolated from two distinct breast cancer cell lines: MDA-MB-231 and MCF-7. Mammospheres (MS), representing breast cancer stem cells, were generated using agar-coated 6 well tissue culture plates in suitable mammospheres culture conditions. Flow cytometric analysis showed enrichment of the CD44⁺/CD24⁻ subpopulations in the mammospheres cultures, with MDA-MB-231 exhibiting a higher percentage compared to MCF-7. The isolated MS from both cell lines showed upregulation of stemness markers OCT4 and SOX2, with MS. MDA-MB-231 demonstrating higher expression levels. Analysis of the RANK/RANKL/OPG axis revealed differential expression patterns between the two cell lines. RANK expression was significantly upregulated in MS. MDA-MB-231 but not in MS. MCF-7. Interestingly, while OPG mRNA levels were elevated in mammospheres from both cell lines, secreted OPG protein levels were paradoxically reduced in the mammospheres conditioned media. Additionally, RUNX2, an osteoblastic marker, and a downstream target of RANK signaling, showed a decreased expression in both mammospheres compared to adherent cells. These findings suggest a complex, context-dependent regulation of the RANK/RANKL/OPG pathway in breast cancer stem cells, potentially contributing to the aggressive nature and metastatic propensity of triple-negative breast cancer. This study provides novel insights into the molecular characteristics of breast cancer stem cells and underscores the complexity of OPG/RANK/RANKL axis expression in them; a role yet to be fully elucidated.