Regulatory Pathways Involved in Heregulin-Induced Proliferation and Differentiation of Human Breast Cancer Cells
Abstract
The polypeptide heregulin has been shown to reverse the transformed phenotype of certain cultured breast cancer cell lines, and hence convert them to more normal, milk-producing cells. In contrast, heregulin is reported to induce proliferation of other breast cancer cell lines. The mechanism by which heregulin alternatively stimulates the proliferation or differentiation of human breast cancer cells was investigated. In the first year of funding, efforts were made to develop assays for quantifying the relative state of differentiation of breast cancer cells. Lipid droplet formation, indicative of the formation of milk by differentiated breast cells, was assayed by light microscopy with the stain Oil Red- 0. Production of milk protein was assayed by Western immunoblotting of cell lysates with an antibody recognizing casein. E-cadherin, a cell adhesion molecule expressed at high levels in differentiated cells and low levels in transformed cells, was also detected by Western immunoblotting of breast cancer cell lysates.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- May 01, 1999
- Accession Number
- ADA381218
Entities
People
- Morven C. Shearer
Organizations
- University of Iowa