Breast stroma plays a dominant regulatory role in breast epithelial growth and differentiation: implications for tumor development and progression.

Although growth factors and extracellular matrix (ECM) are recognized as important contributors to breast epithelial growth, morphogenesis, hormone responsiveness, and neoplastic progression, the influence of functional interactions between breast stromal and epithelial cells on these processes has not been defined. Using a novel three-dimensional cell-cell interaction model, we have compared the abilities of different mesenchymal cell types, including breast fibroblasts derived from reduction mammoplasty and tumor tissues, and human umbilical endothelial cells (HUVECs) to induce three-dimensional morphogenesis and growth of normal MCF10A and preneoplastic MCF10AT1-EIII8 (referred as EIII8) human breast epithelial cells. Our data demonstrate a requirement for organspecific fibroblasts in the induction of epithelial morphogenesis. Whereas inclusion of normal reduction mammoplasty fibroblasts inhibit or retard morphological conversion and growth of MCF10A and EIII8 cells, respectively, tumor-derived breast fibroblasts evoke ductal-alveolar morphogenesis of both MCF10A and EIII8 cells. The growth and morphogenesis inhibitory effects of normal fibroblasts remain even in the presence of estrogen because they are able to suppress the estrogen-induced growth of EIII8 cells, whereas tumor fibroblasts support and maintain estrogen responsiveness of EIII8 cells. The inductive morphogenic effects of tumor fibroblasts on EIII8 cells is further augmented by the inclusion of HUVECs because these cocultures undergo a dramatic increase in proliferation and branching ductal-alveolar morphogenesis that is accompanied by an increase in invasion, degradation of coincident ECM, and expression of MMP-9. Therefore, tumor fibroblasts confer morphogenic and mitogenic induction of epithelial cells, and further enhancement of growth and progression requires active angiogenesis. These data illustrate the importance of structural and functional interactions between breast stromal and epithelial cells in the regulation of breast epithelial growth and progression.

Interaction with endothelial cells is a prerequisite for branching ductal-alveolar morphogenesis and hyperplasia of preneoplastic human breast epithelial cells: regulation by estrogen.

Although there is experimental evidence supporting the involvement of angiogenesis in the pathogenesis of breast cancer, the exact nature and effects of interaction between human breast epithelial cells (HBECs) and endothelial cells (ECs) have not been described thus far. This approach requires an assay system that permits growth and differentiation of both epithelial and endothelial cells. Here, we report the development of a three-dimensional in vitro culture system that supports growth and functional differentiation of preneoplastic HBECs and ECs and recapitulates estrogen-induced in vivo effects on angiogenesis and the proliferative potential of MCF10AT xenografts. MCF10A and MCF10AT1-EIII8 (referred to as EIII8) cell lines used in this study are normal or produce preneoplastic lesions, respectively. When MCF10A or EIII8 cells are seeded on reconstituted basement membrane (Matrigel), both lines organize into a three-dimensional tubular network of cells; however, tubes produced by EIII8 cells appear multicellular in contrast to unicellular structures formed by MCF10A cells. However, when MCF10A or EIII8 cells are cocultured with human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) on Matrigel, rather than interacting with extracellular matrix, the ECs exhibit preferential adherence to epithelial cells. Although both MCF10A and EIII8 cells provide preferential substrate for EC attachment, only EIII8 cells facilitate sustained proliferation of ECs for prolonged periods that are visualized as "endothelial cell enriched spots," which express factor VIII-related antigen. At regions of endothelial-enriched spots, preneoplastic HBECs undergo branching ductal-alveolar morphogenesis that produce mucin, express cytokeratins, and proliferating cell nuclear antigen. The presence of actively proliferating and functional endothelial cells is essential for ductal-alveolar morphogenesis of preneoplastic HBECs because without ECs, the epithelial cells formed only tubular structures. This ability to establish functional ECs and ductal-alveolar morphogenesis is facilitated only by preneoplastic HBECs because normal MCF10A cells fail to elicit similar effects. Thus, a cause-effect relationship that is mutually beneficial exists between EC and preneoplastic HBECs that is critical for generation of functional vascular networks and local proliferative ductal alveolar outgrowths with invasive potential. Both these processes are augmented by estrogen, whereas antiestrogens inhibit these processes. Induction and maintenance of angiogenic phenotype is associated with up-regulation in expression of interleukin 8 and matrix metalloproteinase-2 and estrogen-induced increases in vascular endothelial growth factor and vascular endothelial growth factor receptor 2. This three-dimensional culture model offers a unique opportunity to study endothelial- and epithelial cell-specific factors that are important for ductal-alveolar morphogenesis, angiogenesis, and progression to malignant phenotype.

p53 and protein kinase C independent induction of growth arrest and apoptosis by bryostatin 1 in a highly metastatic mammary epithelial cell line: In vitro versus in vivo activity.

We have evaluated the effects of bryostatin 1 on growth of a highly malignant p53-null mouse mammary tumor line, 4T1, and the mechanism by which bryostatin 1 inhibits in vitro growth and in vivo development of tumor and metastases from the orthotopic site. Bryostatin 1 at 20-400 nM concentrations inhibits growth of 4T1 cells by approximately 60% in two-day cultures. Inhibition of growth is associated with an increase in the number of cells undergoing apoptosis with concomitant elevation in the steady state levels of bax protein and drop in bcl-2 levels. The cytotoxic effect of bryostatin 1 on 4T1 cells occurs independently of p53, since there was no evidence of p53-mediated transcriptional activity in 4T1 cells following treatment with bryostatin 1.4T1 cells respond in vivo to bryostatin 1 therapy (75 microg/kg body weight). Intraperitoneal administration of bryostatin 1 inhibits both primary and secondary tumor growth by approximately 50%. However, although bryostatin 1 has a remarkable capacity to slow tumor growth and progression, it is unable to completely eradicate tumor growth and progression due to in vivo development of tumor resistance to bryostatin 1. Levels and cellular distribution of PKCalpha and delta do not correlate with the growth inhibitory effects of bryostatin 1 on 4T1 cells; however, reduction in cytosolic PKCalpha and delta without associated increase in membrane compartment appear to correlate with bryostatin-resistance. Our results suggest that the therapeutic effects of bryostatin 1 in our system do not involve alterations in levels and distribution of PKC but rather a direct upregulation of bax/ bcl-2 ratios that is independent of p53.

Transcriptional activation of functional endogenous estrogen receptor gene expression in MCF10AT cells: a model for early breast cancer.

Utilizing the MCF10AT xenograft model for progression of human proliferative breast disease, we detected expression of the endogenous estrogen receptor (ER) gene only in MCF10AneoT and cells of the MCF10AT system, all of which stably express a transfected mutated T24 Ha-ras gene. ER transcripts were undetectable in the parental MCF10A cells and in MCF10A cells transfected with normal c-Ha-ras or vector. ER transcripts expressed in MCF10AT cells contain a normal full-length ER coding region and direct synthesis of a normally sized ER protein. The protein is functional based on its ability to mediate estradiol (E2)-induced increases of transcription from both endogenous and exogenous E2-regulated genes. Transcriptional activation of the endogenous ER gene does not appear to be related to a change in methylation status of the gene since a diagnostic CpG site in exon 1 that is methylated in ER-negative breast tumors and completely unmethylated in ER-positive breast tumors is hypomethylated to the same extent in ER-negative MCF10A cells and ER-positive MCF10AT cells. E2 increased both the number and size of soft-agar colonies formed by MCF10AT3c cells, a line from a third generation MCF10AT xenograft lesion. This suggests that xenograft passage has selected for growth regulatory pathways that are E2-responsive and that identification of these pathways and their role in progression will aid in determining how E2 acts to increase risk of breast cancer.

Environmental estrogen stimulation of growth and estrogen receptor function in preneoplastic and cancerous human breast cell lines.

BACKGROUND: DDT and polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), which are widespread in the ecosystem, can mimic estrogen-mediated cell activities. Thus, they can potentially interfere with many physiologic processes. We compared the effects of organochlorines belonging to the DDT and PCB families, alone and in combination, for their ability to influence the estrogen receptor-mediated activities in preneoplastic breast epithelial cells and breast cancer cells. METHODS: Multiple assay systems requiring functional estrogen receptor were employed to test estrogen-like activity of organochlorine ligands. Two-sided statistical tests were used to compare the data. RESULTS: p,p'-DDT, the predominant form of DDT in the environment, is a more potent estrogen than o,p'-DDT (P<.001), although it is less effective than o,p'-DDT in inhibiting the binding of estradiol (natural estrogen) to estrogen receptor. Among the PCBs, Heptachlor is estrogenic (in transient reporter assays; P< or =.001), whereas Aroclor 1221 and Aroclor 1254, both individually and in combination, are only weakly estrogenic. CONCLUSION: p,p'-DDT is the most effective organochlorine in regulating estrogen receptor-mediated cellular responses. In estrogen receptor-positive breast cancer cells, p,p'-DDT evokes responses by itself and enhances the responses in collaboration with estradiol or o,p'-DDT.

Altered P53 conformation.

The p53 protein is a transcription factor that is frequently mutated in human malignancies. Using the MCF10AT model for early human breast cancer we show that P53 protein is unmutated indicating that mutations are not necessary for alterations in growth and morphology that accompany preneoplastic stages of breast tumor progression. Although p53 protein is wild-type in cells of the MCF10AT model system, it exists predominantly in a conformationally altered state that is defective in its ability both to bind DNA in a sequence-specific manner and to induce transcriptional activation from the WAF-1 promoter. This contrasts with P53 from the non-tumorigenic parental MCF10A cells which is predominantly conformationally normal and functionally active. The possibility that stabilized wild-type but conformationally altered P53 plays a role in the neoplastic progression of preneoplastic MCF10AT system cells is discussed.

Heterogeneity in p53 mutations in mouse mammary tumor subpopulations with different metastatic potential from the orthotopic site.

We have found that p53 expression is altered with progression to the metastatic phenotype of a series of neoplastic subpopulations of a single mouse mammary tumor. Single strand conformation polymorphism (SSCP) analysis of p53 transcripts indicate that the expressed p53 genes in each of the subpopulations contain one or more differences from wild type p53. Although the mutations in the coding sequence of p53 are different in each of the sublines, suggesting that independent mutational events have occurred, the mutations are clustered in exons 2-4 and in exon 6. In the metastatic subpopulations, there is either a complete loss of p53 transcriptional activity or accumulation of transcripts with an additional alteration in exons 4-5.