Aberrant expression of metastasis-inducing proteins in ectopic and matched eutopic endometrium of women with endometriosis: implications for the pathogenesis of endometriosis.

BACKGROUND: Endometriosis is a metastatic disease without obvious tumorigenesis. Expression of S100P, S100A4, osteopontin (OPN) or anterior gradient homologue 2 (AGR2) proteins can induce metastasis but fail to induce tumorigenesis per se. We now explore whether this group of metastasis-inducing proteins (MIPs) are associated with the pathogenesis of endometriosis. METHODS: Eutopic endometrial biopsies were taken from 73 women (35 fertile women without endometriosis and 38 women with surgically diagnosed endometriosis). Ectopic endometriotic lesions were collected from eight of the women with endometriosis. The expression of MIPs at the cellular level was evaluated by immunohistochemistry and the presence of these proteins in the endometrial tissues was verified by western blotting and their gene expression was confirmed by RT-PCR. RESULTS: All four MIPs were immunolocated in the endometrium of control women and S100P, AGR2 and OPN showed a cyclical variation. Proliferative phase eutopic endometrium of both groups showed a similar staining pattern for all MIPs, whereas secretory phase endometrium showed a differential expression between controls and cases. The secretory phase endometrial immunostaining of controls showed weak stromal and perivascular AGR2, and decreased stromal and glandular S100P. In contrast, immunostaining for all MIPs was increased in the late secretory endometrial samples of women with endometriosis and intense immunostaining was seen for S100A4 in the stroma (P< 0.05) and for S100P (P< 0.001) and AGR2 (P< 0.0001) in both glands and stroma (P< 0.001). All active peritoneal endometriotic lesions showed strong immunostaining for each of the MIPs studied. CONCLUSIONS: We propose that these MIPs enhance endometrial cell invasiveness and contribute to the establishment of ectopic endometriotic deposits after retrograde menstruation.

Characterisation of the immune microenvironment of primary breast cancer and brain metastasis reveals depleted T-cell response associated to ARG2 expression.

BACKGROUND: Immune checkpoint inhibition is an established treatment in programmed death-ligand 1 (PD-L1)-positive metastatic triple-negative (TN) breast cancer (BC). However, the immune landscape of breast cancer brain metastasis (BCBM) remains poorly defined. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The tumour-infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs) and the messenger RNA (mRNA) levels of 770 immune-related genes (NanoString™, nCounter™ Immuno-oncology IO360) were assessed in primary BCs and BCBMs. The prognostic role of ARG2 transcripts and protein expression in primary BCs and its association with outcome was determined. RESULTS: There was a significant reduction of TILs in the BCBMs in comparison to primary BCs. 11.5% of BCs presented a high immune infiltrate (hot), 46.2% were altered (immunosuppressed/excluded) and 34.6% were cold (no/low immune infiltrate). 3.8% of BCBMs were hot, 23.1% altered and 73.1% cold. One hundred and twelve immune-related genes including PD-L1 and CTLA4 were decreased in BCBM compared to the primary BCs (false discovery rate <0.01, log2 fold-change >1.5). These genes are involved in matrix remodelling and metastasis, cytokine-chemokine signalling, lymphoid compartment, antigen presentation and immune cell adhesion and migration. Immuno-modulators such as PD-L1 (CD274), CTLA4, TIGIT and CD276 (B7H3) were decreased in BCBMs. However, PD-L1 and CTLA4 expression was significantly higher in TN BCBMs (P = 0.01), with CTLA4 expression also high in human epidermal growth factor receptor 2-positive (P < 0.01) compared to estrogen receptor-positive BCBMs. ARG2 was one of four genes up-regulated in BCBMs. High ARG2 mRNA expression in primary BCs was associated with worse distant metastasis-free survival (P = 0.038), while ARG2 protein expression was associated with worse breast-brain metastasis-free (P = 0.027) and overall survival (P = 0.019). High transcript levels of ARG2 correlated to low levels of cytotoxic and T cells in both BC and BCBM (P < 0.01). CONCLUSION: This study highlights the immunological differences between primary BCs and BCBMs and the potential importance of ARG2 expression in T-cell depletion and clinical outcome.

Mitogenic activity of pituitary hormones on cell cultures of normal and carcinogen-induced tumor epithelium from rat mammary glands.

Cell suspension containing normal or tumor epithelium were readily obtained by enzymatically digesting rat mammary glands from perphenazine-treated (prolactin-hypersecreting) cycling, female virgin animals or hormone- responsive mammary tumors from animal treated with dimethylbenzanthracene. Cell suspensions were fractioned into predominantly epithelial and predominantly stromal cells by their differential rates of attachment to culture dishes. Both normal mammary and tumor epithelial cells were characterized by the presence of specific cell-junctional complexes, desmosome-like structures, surface microvilli, and their ability to synthesize casein. Serum-dependent protease activity was greater in cultures derived from tumors, and cells from such cultures grew in agarose whereas those from the non-neoplastic gland did not. The addition of prolactin to the culture medium stimulated DNA synthesis in primary or secondary epithelial cultures from tumors, whereas additional insulin and hydrocortisone with prolactin were required for similar levels of DNA synthesis in cultures from non-neoplastic glands. The fraction of cells synthesizing DNA was, however, smaller than that with 10 percent serum measured in the same time period. Both growth hormone and epidermal growth factor stimulated DNA synthesis but to a lesser extent than did prolactin. Prolactin with hydrocortisone and insulin were relatively inactive in promoting DNA synthesis of the nonepithelial cells whereas pituitary fibroblast growth factor was more active. These mitogenic effects were obtained when the hormones were added to the medium at near physiological concentrations, and paralleled the known activities of the hormones in control of mammary gland growth and development in the rat.

Characterization of a myoepithelial cell line derived from a neonatal rat mammary gland.

A clonal, myoepithelial-like cell line has been obtained from a primary culture established from the mammary gland of a 7-d-old rat. In a number of respects, this cell line, termed Rama 401, resembles the myoepithelial cells of the mammary gland, especially when grown on floating collagen gels. The cells grow as multilayers on the gel surface and form branching structures that do not appear to contain a lumen. They are rather elongated, with irregular-shaped, flattened nuclei that contain large amounts of peripheral chromatin. Elongated processes project from the cell surface and numerous membrane pinocytotic vesicles can be seen. The cytoplasm is filled with linear arrays of 5- to 7-nm filaments with occasional dense foci. Cell junctions with associated 8- to 11-nm tonofilaments are also observed. Immunofluorescence techniques reveal actin and myosin filaments and also intermediate filaments of both prekeratin and vimentin types. Rama 401 cells secrete an amorphous material that, when an immunoperoxidase technique is used, stains with antibodies to basement membrane-specific type IV collagen. Localized densities of the cell membrane, which resemble hemidesmosomes, are located adjacent to these extracellular deposits. Immunofluorescence staining and immunoprecipitation techniques reveal that the cells also synthesize two other basement membrane proteins, laminin and fibronectin. The type IV collagen consists of two chains with molecular weights of 195,000 and 185,000.

Increased expression of anterior gradient-2 is significantly associated with poor survival of prostate cancer patients.

Anterior gradient-2 (AGR2) expression was examined in a series of prostate cell lines and in an archival set of prostate tissues. The relative levels of AGR2 expression in the malignant cell lines PC-3 and PC-3M were, respectively, 5.3+/-0.1 and 3.8+/-0.2 times that detected in the benign cell line PNT-2. Immunohistochemical staining in 106 cases showed that amongst seven normal cases, one (14.3%) was unstained, five (71.4%) stained weakly positive and one (14.3%) stained moderately positive. Amongst 34 benign prostate hyperplastic (BPH) cases, 12 (35.3%) were unstained, 18 (52.9%) stained weakly positive and four (11.8%) stained moderately positive. Amongst 65 carcinomas, three (4.6%) were unstained, 14 (21.5%) stained weakly positive, 19 (29.2%) stained moderately positive and 29 (44.9%) stained strongly positive. AGR2 expression in carcinomas was significantly higher than that in BPH (chi(2)-test, P<0.001). Kaplan-Meier survival analysis showed that increased AGR2 expression was significantly (log rank test, P=0.007) associated with reduced patient-survival time. Increased joint Gleason score (GS) was significantly (log rank test, P=0.001) associated with poor patient survival. However, neither prostate specific antigen (PSA) level, nor androgen receptor (AR) index, was significantly associated with patient-survival time. Increased AGR2 expression was significantly correlated with high GS (two-sided Fisher's exact test, P<0.001) and PSA levels (Mann-Whitney U-test, P=0.047), but not significantly related to the level of AR (Mann-Whitney U-test, P=0.286). These results suggest that increased AGR2 expression is a valuable prognostic factor to predict the clinical outcome of the prostate cancer patients.

Binding of peanut lectin to breast epithelium, human carcinomas, and a cultured rat mammary stem cell: use of the lectin as a marker of mammary differentiation.

We investigated the binding of fluorescence-labeled peanut agglutinin (PNA) to breast epithelium. Specific binding of PNA to the mammary glands of female Sprague-Dawley rats increased as the gland matured. Sexually immature rats showed relatively little fluorescence, but this increased in mature and pregnant animals. A maximum was reached in lactating rats in which significant labeling of material within the lumen was observed. PNA was bound exclusively to the epithelial and not the myoepithelial or mesenchymal cells. In tissue culture, a rat mammary epithelial stem cell line, which can be stimulated to differentiate to alveolus-like secretory or myoepithelial cells, showed evidence of PNA binding only on the secretory cells and not on unstimulated or myoepithelial cells. Fibroblast cultures also failed to show significant binding of PNA. Receptor sites on the secretory cells were masked mainly by sialic acid. Human breast sections, like those of the rat, showed fluorescent labeling at the apical region of the epithelial cells; this labeling increased if the tissue had prior treatment with neuraminidase. Breast carcinomas that were morphologically differentiated showed more labeling with PNA than did undifferentiated tumors, which often had weak or sometimes negative labeling. When significant fluorescence was observed, it was localized mainly in the cytoplasm. By contrast, labeling was restricted to the cell periphery in differentiated carcinomas. The use of PNA as a marker for breast epithelial cell differentiation is therefore proposed.

Prostaglandin-induced differentiation or dimethyl sulfoxide-induced differentiation: reduction of the neoplastic potential of a rat mammary tumor stem-cell line.

Differentiation of the rat mammary stem cell line Rama 25 to alveolar-like cells was monitored both by the increased production of domes (hemispherical blisters) in the cell monolayer and by immunoreactive casein in the tissue culture medium. In addition to the synthetic inducer dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO), prostaglandin (PG)E1, and to a lesser extent PGE2 and PGF2 alpha (concentration range, 50--500 ng/ml) in the presence of the hormones prolactin (Pr), hydrocortisone (HC), insulin (I), and 17 beta-estradiol (E) also accelerated this step. A combination of PGE1, HC, and I was active in promoting doming even in serum-free medium, whereas PGE1, all four hormones, and serum were required for maximum production of immunoreactive casein. The DNA synthetic rate was concomitantly reduced during this differentiation step. Rama 25 readily formed tumors in young, female nu/nu mice. When Rama 25 cells were treated with PGE1 or DMSO and the four hormones yielding the droplet and doming cultures, subsequent injection of these cultures into nu/nu mice led to a reduced incidence of tumors compared with injections of untreated cultures. Variant cell lines were selected from a subclone of elongated, myoepithelial-like Rama 29 cells that had been derived from Rama 25 and directly from Rama 25 itself. The former were elongated cells and termed "Rama 521," and the latter were cuboidal epithelial cells and termed "Rama 259." Both these variants were resistant to the actions of PGE1 or DMSO and to the mammotropic hormones in accelerating the rate of formation of domes, producing immunoreactive casein, in substantially reducing the DNA synthetic rate, and in reducing the incidence of tumors when injected into nu/nu mice. We have therefore shown that conversion of Rama 24 stem cells to alveolar-like cells in culture is specifically accompanied by a reduction in their neoplastic potential in nu/nu mice.

Phenotypic instability of rat mammary tumor epithelial cells.

The spontaneous production of elongated derivatives by cuboidal rat mammary epithelial cells was examined with the use of a series of single-cell clones grown in tissue culture. Four representative cell lines derived from a 7,12-dimethylbenz[a]anthracene-induced mammary tumor in an inbred WF rat were examined for morphologic stability, chromosome number, presence of immunoreactive fibronectin, laminin, prekeratin, and milk fat globule membrane (MFGM) antigens, ultrastructural characteristics, and tumorigenicity in syngeneic hosts. Conversion of cuboidal to elongated cells occurred by way of apparent morphologic intermediates, examples of which were isolated and cloned. Levels of immunoreactive fibronectin and laminin were greater in the elongated than the cuboidal clones, whereas the converse was true of prekeratin. MFGM antigens were present to a variable extent in all 4 clones. When grown on 0.3% collagen gels, cells of Rama 37 CL-A3 and Rama 37CS-A2 cuboidal clones exhibited surface microvilli and desmosomes. A minority of elongated cells contained microfilamental structures and pinocytotic vesicles similar to those seen in myoepithelial cells; the remainder lacked distinguishing ultrastructural features. After injection into syngeneic recipients, Rama 37 CL-A3 cuboidal line gave rise to glandular tumors consisting of cuboidal cells arranged in acinar structures, Rama 37 E5 elongated line induced spindle cell tumors, and Rama 37 CS-A2 and Rama 37 E8 lines induced tumors containing nests of mixed spindle and cuboidal cells. The majority of these tumors failed to metastasize.

Retinoid-specific induction of differentiation and reduction of the DNA synthesis rate and tumor-forming ability of a stem cell line from a rat mammary tumor.

Differentiation of the stem cell line rat mammary (Rama) 25 to alveolar-like cells can be monitored by the increase in production of domes (hemispheric blisters) in the cell monolayer and immunoreactive casein in the tissue culture medium. This step was accelerated not only by the synthetic inducer dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) but also by all-trans-retinol, all-trans-retinal, all-trans-retinoic acid (RA), and all-trans-retinyl acetate (concentration range, 0.04-4 microM) in the presence of the hormones prolactin, hydrocortisone (HC), insulin, and 17 beta-estradiol; 9-cis-all-trans-retinal was without effect. A combination of RA and HC was active in producing doming, whereas RA, all four hormones, and serum were required for maximum production of immunoreactive casein. The retinoids in the same concentration range also caused a reduction in the DNA synthetic rate in a similar time period. When Rama 25 cells were treated with RA and the four hormones yielding the droplet and doming cultures, subsequent injection of these cells into young, female inbred nu/nu (nude) mice led to a reduced incidence of tumors compared with injections of untreated cells. Tumorigenic variant cell lines were selected previously from Rama 25 that were either elongated and failed to differentiate at all to doming and casein-secreting cultures (Rama 521) or that did so spontaneously but whose rates were not accelerated by addition of DMSO (Rama 259). Both Rama 521 and Rama 259 failed to respond to the retinoids and hormones in producing domes and immunoreactive casein, in decreasing DNA synthetic rates, and in lowering the incidence of tumors induced by injection of the cell lines into nude mice. Thus the anticancer activity of the retinoids in rat mammary gland carcinogenesis may be due in part to their differentiation-inducing properties.

Thy-1 antigen on normal and neoplastic rat mammary tissues: changes in location and amount of antigen during differentiation of cultured stem cells.

With the use of immunofluorescent and immunocytochemical techniques on histologic sections of mammary glands from inbred WF rats, the thymocyte differentiation antigen (Thy-1) was identified partially on and immediately adjacent to the myoepithelial cells of ducts and alveoli. This antigen was absent from epithelial cells lining such structures. Some fibroblastic cells external to these structures also bore Thy-1. During glandular development the intensity of fluorescence due to the binding of Thy-1 antibodies increased as the myoepithelial cells matured. Similarly, mammary adenocarcinomas induced by 7,12-dimethylbenz[a]anthracene (DMBA) and N-methyl-N-nitrosourea contained elongated, presumptive myoepithelial cells that demonstrated varying degrees of Thy-1 immunofluorescence. This phenomenon was qualitatively mimicked by cultured cell lines from normal and DMBA-induced tumors. Elongated myoepithelial-like and fibroblast-like cells possessed Thy-1, whereas the cuboidal epithelial cell lines failed to express this antigen on the cell surface. Measurement of the relative number of Thy-1 molecules per cell by antiserum absorption techniques suggested that a neoplastic stem cell line, rat mammary (Rama) 25, contained about 3 X 10(5) Thy-1 molecules per cell in a form not directly accessible at the cell surface to anti-Thy-1 antibodies; the number of cryptic Thy-1 molecules was reduced when this cell line differentiated to alveolar-like cells in culture. However, when this cell line differentiated to myoepithelial-like cells, approximately 5 X 10(6) molecules per cell were exposed to anti-Thy-1 antibodies with a concomitant reduction of the cryptic pool. Morphologic maturation of elongated, myoepithelial-like cell line variants was also accompanied by increased surface Thy-1 fluorescence. Thus some of the myoepithelial cells in normal glands and tumors may arise by differentiation of epithelial stem cells and a spectrum of maturation states of the myoepithelial cell may exist as monitored by cellular morphology and surface Thy-1 expression.

Generation of cell types with myoepithelial and mesenchymal phenotypes during the conversion of rat mammary tumor epithelial stem cells into elongated cells.

Epithelial cell lines isolated from benign rat mammary tumors converted to elongated cells that showed some aspects of myoepithelial differentiation. This cellular conversion was blocked in cells isolated from malignant tumors. For investigation of the pathway of the conversion, a rat mammary epithelial cell line (Rama 25) that converted to elongated cells through a series of morphologically distinct intermediates was isolated. These intermediates formed a series in the order: Rama 25, Rama 25-I2, Rama 25-I1, Rama 25-I4, and elongated cells. These cell lines were examined for aspects of myoepithelial or mesenchymal differentiation with the use of a polyclonal antibody to type IV collagen and a keratin monoclonal antibody, LP34 (myoepithelial markers), or a polyclonal antibody to type I procollagen (mesenchymal marker) for cells grown on plastic or as tumors in nude mice. The more epithelial-like cell lines Rama 25 and Rama 25-I2 produced relatively small amounts of type IV collagen and did not stain with LP34 or anti-type I procollagen. The flatter, polygonal cell line Rama 25-I1 stained more strongly with the antibody to type IV collagen but did not stain with anti-type I procollagen. Rama 25-I1 cells, and to a lesser extent Rama 25-I4 cells in tumors, contained a network of cytoplasmic filaments that stained strongly with LP34. The elongated cells, Rama 25-I4 and Rama 25-floaters (Rama 25-FL), did not stain with LP34 in vitro but produced an extracellular matrix that stained with antibodies to both type I procollagen and type IV collagen. The results obtained with these marker proteins suggested that, in this series of morphologic intermediates, the myoepithelial phenotype was best expressed in Rama 25-I1 cells and to a lesser extent in 25-I4 cells. However, this phenotype was relatively unstable, converting to elongated cells, some of which have decreased myoepithelial and increased mesenchymal characteristics. Such a pathway may explain the mixed population of cells seen in some types of benign mammary tumor.

Isolation and characterization of clonal cell lines from a transplantable metastasizing rat mammary tumor, TR2CL.

The metastasizing rat mammary cell strain from the Ludwig Institute for Cancer Research (London Branch) which was originally developed from a benign rat mammary tumor induced by N-methyl-N-nitrosourea (CAS: 684-93-5), yielded single-cell-cloned lines of isometric epithelial cells [rat mammary (Rama) 600-Rama 621] and one line of elongated cells (Rama 622); the former had a higher estrogen receptor content than the latter. All the representative epithelial cell lines tested (Rama 600, 603, and 617) failed to convert to elongated, myoepithelial-like cells or droplet cell/doming, alveolar-like cells in vitro. All representative cell lines tested induced tumors in syngeneic F344/N rats and CBA nu/nu mice, but only the epithelial lines metastasized to lungs and local lymph nodes in rats and to lungs in nude mice. The involved lungs and lymph nodes contained mainly intravascular thrombi and deposits in the subcapsular sinus, respectively. Tumors and metastases from the representative epithelial cell lines contained acinar and glandular structures together with an elongated cellular component. The Rama 622 tumors contained mainly spindle cells. Antisera to rat milk fat globule membranes and human keratins stained some of the epithelial and elongated cells in the Rama 600 tumors; less staining was observed in the Rama 622 tumors. None of the tumor cells stained with antiserum to myosin. Anti-laminin serum delineated a fragmented basement membrane in glandular elements and stained weakly the cytoplasm of the more elongated tumor cells. Ultrastructural analysis confirmed the identity of epithelial cells in the Rama 600 tumors, but no well-differentiated myoepithelial cells were seen in either type of tumor. Since nonmetastasizing epithelial cells isolated directly from carcinogen-induced benign rat mammary tumors can differentiate to myoepithelial-like cells in vitro or when growing as tumors in animals, it is suggested that the development of the malignant phenotype is associated with a loss of this differentiating ability.

Loss of myoepithelial cell characteristics in metastasizing rat mammary tumors relative to their nonmetastasizing counterparts.

A series of WF rat mammary tumors comprising one transplantable nonmetastasizing line (MT-W9), two predominantly lymphatic (SMT-2A and SMT-077) and one lymphatic and hematogenous (MT-450) metastasizing transplantable lines, and 7,12-dimethylbenz[a]anthracene (DMBA)-induced nonmetastasizing primary tumors was examined for the presence of epithelial and myoepithelial cell characteristics with the use of immunocytochemical techniques. Tumor cells staining for myosin were only occasionally observed in a basal orientation in glandular structures in sections of DMBA-induced and MT-W9 tumors; anti-laminin serum stained the peripheries of the glandular structures in the DMBA-induced and MT-W9 tumors but failed to stain the SMT-2A and SMT-077 tumor cells. In the nonmetastasizing tumors immunologically detectable keratin occurred mainly in the outer cellular layer of glandlike structures, whereas milk fat globule membrane immunoreactivity occurred primarily in the luminal cells. Both these types of immunoreactivity were observed in MT-450 tumor cells, but the pattern of keratin staining was random. No such immunoreactivity occurred in SMT-2A or SMT-077 tumors. No tumor cell-associated staining for fibronectin was seen in any of the tumors examined, although host stromal components stained intensely. The nonmetastasizing tumors contained cuboidal epithelial cells with lumen formation, surface microvilli, and intercellular junctional complexes, together with a relatively undifferentiated elongated cell component. Other elongated cells showed hemidesmosomes, pinocytotic vesicles, tonofilaments, and small bundles of cytoplasmic filaments, suggesting gradations toward a myoepithelial phenotype. The MT-450 tumors were ultrastructurally similar to the nonmetastasizing tumors, but no features of myoepithelial cells were seen, although some cuboidal epithelial cells exhibited prominent tonofilaments. The SMT-2A and SMT-077 tumors consisted of nests of cuboidal-like cells with highly pleomorphic nuclei and much intercellular collagen. The results indicate a progressive loss of cellular differentiation characteristics, particularly those of the myoepithelial cell with increasing malignancy in this system.

Dedifferentiation of rat mammary myoepithelial-like cell lines after passage in vivo or cloning in vitro.

Myoepithelial-like cell lines from normal mammary glands of neonatal Ludwig Wistar rats, rat mammary (Rama) 401 and Rama 704E, were injected into fat pads of syngeneic animals or were single-cell cloned in vitro. Rama 401 produced tumors that were predominantly composed of elongated cells, while the subclones of both cell lines yielded multilayered structures of elongated cells when grown on floating 0.3% collagen gels in vitro. Immunocytochemical analysis of histologic sections for markers of myoepithelial cells revealed that anti-actin-myosin and human keratin sera failed to stain the Rama 401 tumor cells or subclones of both cell lines on collagen gels, but both were stained with antilaminin serum. Immunofluorescent analysis of cultures of Rama 401 tumors showed that the resulting elongated cells failed to stain with antikeratin serum, but abundant staining was observed with antilaminin and antivimentin sera, as in the tumors. Ultrastructural analysis of the Rama 401 tumor cells identified intermediate junctions and extracellular basement membrane-like material in the vicinity of plasma membrane-associated pinocytotic vesicles, but neither true desmosomes nor myofilamental bundles were observed. Thus growth of rat mammary myoepithelial-like cells as tumors in syngeneic animals or as subclones in vitro can lead to selective loss of myofilaments and prekeratin-containing intermediate filaments. Similar relatively undifferentiated elongated cells may be responsible for some of the cellular heterogeneity observed in certain carcinogen-induced rat mammary tumors.

Induction of metastatic ability in a stably diploid benign rat mammary epithelial cell line by transfection with DNA from human malignant breast carcinoma cell lines.

Transfection of the stably diploid rat mammary epithelial cell line, Rama 37, which yields nonmetastasizing, adenomatous tumors in syngeneic rats with HindIII-fragmented DNA from malignant or nonmalignant human breast epithelial cell lines and the drug-resistance plasmid pSV2neo, yields transformants with a frequency of 10(-4) to 10(-5). The resultant cell lines form tumors with varying frequencies when injected s.c. into the mammary fat pads of syngeneic rats. Cells transfected with DNA from the malignant human breast carcinoma cell line, Ca2-83, or DNA from the human pleural effusion-derived cell lines, MCF-7 or ZR-75-1, yield transformants which metastasize to lungs and/or lymph nodes at high frequency, whereas transfection of HindIII-fragmented DNA from nonmetastatic human mammary epithelial cell lines, transfection of the drug-resistance plasmid pSV2neo alone, or nonspecific DNA such as salmon sperm DNA fails to yield transformants expressing the metastatic phenotype. Transfectants which metastasized were reestablished in culture and reinjected into syngeneic rats to confirm their metastatic properties. These transfectants yield rapidly growing tumors with reduced latent periods, which give rise to significant numbers of metastases. The karyotype of selected transfectants after passage in vivo remains stably diploid. Hybridization of a 32P-labeled oligonucleotide probe specific for the human Alu family of sequences to DNA from these transfectants reveals the presence of human-specific DNA sequences integrated into the genome. It is suggested that transfection of specific genomic DNA sequences from the malignant human cell lines can induce the metastatic phenotype in the nonmetastatic Rama 37 cell line in a genetically dominant manner, whereas genomic DNA from the nonmetastatic cells cannot confer metastatic properties to the Rama 37 cell line.

Immunocytochemical demonstration of hormonally regulable casein in tumors produced by a rat mammary stem cell line.

The rat mammary epithelial stem cell line, Rat Mammary 25, and the dimethyl sulfoxide-resistant variant derived from it, Rama 259, when injected separately into female, virgin, athymic nude mice formed tumors which grew at approximately the same rate. When the mice were mated, the growth rate of the Rama 259 tumors increased 2.5-fold during late pregnancy and lactation, while that of the Rama 25 tumors was unaffected. The tumors in all cases consisted of glandular-like structures and blocks of cuboidal and elongated cells. Antibodies were raised against the three major caseins in rat milk. Examination of histological sections showed that antibodies immunocytochemically stained some of the cells (5 to 20%) in the glandular regions, a few (1 to 5%) of the cuboidal cells, and none of the elongated cells in Rama 25 tumors from lactating mice. Only a relative few (1 to 5%) of the glandular cells stained in Rama 25 tumors from perphenazine-treated mice, while no cells (less than 1%) stained in tumors from virgin mice. The casein antibodies failed to stain any cells (less than 1%) in the Rama 259 tumors even when they stained luminal epithelial cells in the mammary glands taken from the same lactating or perphenazine-treated mice. These results demonstrated that a minor population of cells within the Rama 25 tumors can be hormonally regulated to produce casein in a way similar to that for the majority of the cells in normal mammary glands.

Metastasis-inducing dna regulates the expression of the osteopontin gene by binding the transcription factor Tcf-4.

Small 1,000-bp fragments of genomic DNA obtained from human malignant breast cancer cell lines when transfected into a benign rat mammary cell line enhance transcription of the osteopontin gene and thereby cause the cells to metastasize in syngeneic rats. To identify the molecular events underlying this process, transient cotransfections of an osteopontin promoter-reporter construct and fragments of one metastasis-inducing DNA (Met-DNA) have identified the active components in the Met-DNA as the binding sites for the T-cell factor (Tcf) family of transcription factors. Incubation of cell extracts with active DNA fragments containing the sequence CAAAG caused retardation of their mobilities on polyacrylamide gels, and Western blotting identified Tcf-4, beta-catenin, and E-cadherin in the relevant DNA complexes in vitro. Transfection of an expression vector for Tcf-4 inhibited the stimulated activity of the osteopontin promoter-reporter construct caused by transiently transfected active fragments of Met-DNA or permanently transfected Met-DNA. This stimulated activity of the osteopontin promoter-reporter construct is accompanied by an increase in endogenous osteopontin mRNA but not in fos or actin mRNAs in the transfected cells. Permanent transfection of the benign rat mammary cell line with a 20-bp fragment from the Met-DNA containing the Tcf recognition sequence CAAAG caused an enhanced permanent production of endogenous osteopontin protein in vitro and induced the cells to metastasize in syngeneic rats in vivo. The corresponding fragment without the CAAAG sequence was without either effect. Therefore, the regulatory effect of the C9-Met-DNA is exerted, at least in part, by a CAAAG sequence that can sequester the endogenous inhibitory Tcf-4 and thereby promote transcription of osteopontin, the direct effector of metastasis in this system.

Distribution of myoepithelial cells and basement membrane proteins in the normal breast and in benign and malignant breast diseases.

An immunocytochemical method for fixed and paraffin-embedded human breast biopsies is reported for the detection of myoepithelial and epithelial cells using antibodies to myosin and keratin, respectively, and of basement membranes using antibodies to laminin and type IV collagen. Using these markers, myoepithelial cells can be clearly distinguished in the normal breast and in the benign breast diseases sclerosing adenosis, epitheliosis, and fibroadenoma. In sclerosing adenosis, myoepithelial cells form a major cellular component. A stromally derived spindle cell is identified which stains with myosin but not with keratin antibodies (myofibroblast). These cells are seen in one-fifth of the fibroadenomas. Although cells staining with myosin antibodies are seen in the infiltrating component of all 18 carcinomas examined, elongated cells staining with both myosin and keratin antibodies (myoepithelial-like) are seen in only one infiltrating carcinoma where they are interposed at the stromal-epithelial junction of the infiltrating tumor cells. In contrast to the situation in benign breast diseases, mature myoepithelial cells form a very minor component of the majority of infiltrating ductal carcinomas. Basement membrane proteins, laminin, and type IV collagen are present in normal breast, benign breast disease, and grade I infiltrating ductal carcinomas but are absent in carcinomas of grades II and III.

Production of skeletal muscle elements by cell lines derived from neoplastic rat mammary epithelial stem cells.

Single-cell-cloned cell lines intermediate in morphology between the cuboidal epithelial and fully elongated myoepithelial-like cells have been isolated from the single-cell-cloned epithelial stem cell lines Rama 25 and Rama 37 originally obtained from dimethylbenz(a)anthracene-induced mammary tumors from Sprague-Dawley and Wistar-Furth rats, respectively. These are designated Rama 25-l1, Rama 25-l2, Rama 25-l4 (Sprague-Dawley) and Rama 50-55, Rama 59, and Rama 60 (Wistar-Furth), respectively. When growing as tumors in nude mice or syngeneic Wistar-Furth rats, respectively, many of the newly cloned cell lines give rise to spindle and giant, multinucleated cells which stain immunocytochemically with antisera to myoglobin and myosin and contain longitudinal fibrils, some of which contain phosphotungstic acid-hematoxylin-staining cross-striations. Ultrastructural analysis demonstrates the presence of A-, l-, and H-bands and Z-discs and the hexagonal arrangement of thick and thin filaments characteristic of skeletal muscle. Similar results are obtained with selected cloned cell lines growing on floating collagen gels in vitro. Thus, a developmentally committed mammary epithelial cell can give rise, under suitable conditions, to a well-differentiated mesenchymal lineage, that of skeletal muscle. It is suggested that such cells may be responsible for the generation of the well-differentiated mesenchymal elements seen in the mixed (epithelial and myoepithelial) tumors of glandular origin.

Loss of production of myoepithelial cells and basement membrane proteins but retention of response to certain growth factors and hormones by a new malignant human breast cancer cell strain.

Digestion of primary breast cancers and their metastases with collagenase yields cell clusters which can be selectively isolated from stromal cells and from the less malignant-looking epithelium of the primary tumors by their failure to attach as rapidly to collagen gel. Continued passage in culture of one preparation of cell clusters has yielded a continuously growing cell strain, termed Ca2-83. This strain continues to grow mainly as cell clusters with doubling times of 10 to 14 days, although some clusters eventually adhere to plastic substrata. Two morphological extremes of cell were observed, smaller polygonal or cuboidal cells and larger, often-multinucleated cells which contain fat droplets. Cell clusters grew in a gland-like pattern similar to those of the original carcinoma and formed small nodules in 50% of recipient nu/nu mice. Both morphological forms of Ca2-83 in culture or in tumor nodules stained immunocytochemically with epithelial cell-specific antisera to epithelial membrane antigens and to human keratins but not to laminin or actin. Cultures of Ca2-83 failed to synthesize laminin under conditions where its synthesis was observed in a rat myoepithelial cell line. Ultrastructural analysis of the cell clusters has identified microvilli coated with epithelial membrane antigens and junctional complexes typical of secretory epithelia in both morphological forms, but no characteristics of myoepithelial cells or basement membranes were observed. The DNA content of the cultures increased in response to serum, a bovine pituitary fraction, and insulin. Numbers of cell clusters were also increased in the presence of culture medium exposed to preadipocytes, myoepithelial- or mesothelial-like cells/stromal cells, or to prostaglandin E2.