Collagen gel contraction serves to rapidly distinguish epithelial- and mesenchymal-derived cells irrespective of alpha-smooth muscle actin expression
Research output: Contribution to journal › Journal article › Research › peer-review
Mesenchymal-like cells in the stroma of breast cancer may arise as a consequence of plasticity within the epithelial compartment, also referred to as epithelial-mesenchymal transition, or by recruitment of genuine mesenchymal cells from the peritumoral stroma. Cells of both the epithelial compartment and the stromal compartment express alpha smooth muscle actin (alpha-sm actin) as part of a myoepithelial or a myofibroblastic differentiation program, respectively. Moreover, because both epithelial- and mesenchymal-derived cells are nontumorigenic, other means of discrimination are warranted. Here, we describe the contraction of hydrated collagen gels as a rapid functional assay for the distinction between epithelial- and mesenchymal-derived stromal-like cells irrespective of the status of alpha-sm actin expression. Three epithelial-derived cell lines and three genuine mesenchymal-derived breast cell lines were plated on top of hydrated collagen lattices. Reduction in gel height was measured every hour for 6 h and after 22 h using an x-y-z automated position table. Significantly, the epithelial-derived cells, irrespective of a high alpha-sm actin expression, had a fivefold lower contractility (10.0% reduction in gel height) than their true mesenchymal counterparts (53.1% reduction in gel height). To test whether at all force generation could be induced in the nonmesenchymal cells by alpha-sm actin, transductions were performed to obtain a tetracycline-dependent expression. Expression under these conditions did not augment contractility. It is concluded that epithelial-derived mesenchymal-like cells are functionally defective within a connective tissue environment irrespective of an apparent contractile phenotype.
Original language | English |
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Journal | In Vitro Cellular & Developmental Biology - Animal |
Volume | 39 |
Issue number | 7 |
Pages (from-to) | 297-303 |
Number of pages | 6 |
ISSN | 1071-2690 |
DOIs | |
Publication status | Published - 2004 |
Bibliographical note
Keywords: Actins; Animals; Anti-Bacterial Agents; Breast Neoplasms; Cell Culture Techniques; Cell Line, Tumor; Cells, Cultured; Collagen; Doxycycline; Epithelial Cells; Female; Gels; Humans; Mesoderm; Stress, Mechanical; Stromal Cells
ID: 116788