Unique Proteins Expressed by Blood Vessels in Skeletal Sites Colonized by Breast Cancer Cells
Abstract
We are comparing vascular endothelial cells isolated from 1) the ends of bone where metastasized breast cancer cells frequently lodge and proliferate (cells called BVECs) and from 2) the nearby central marrow cavity (cells called MVECs). Project-1: to acquire a broader view of differences between BVECs and MVECs, one goal is to compare messenger RNA using micro array analysis. We have purified the cell populations by flow cytometry; this resulted in impaired RNA quality. We have set up a magnetic bead method to more gently isolate and purify the cells using an antibody to PECAM, a protein specifically on vascular endothelial cells. Project-2: we have found differences in expression and display of surface adhesion molecules. Using immunodetection, BVECs express more total p-selectin, e-selectin, ICAM- 1, and VCAM- 1 than MVECs; only a few (5- 15%) of both cell types display these adhesion molecules externally. BVECs display more surface e-selectin when exposed to conditioned medium from MDA-MB-435 breast cancer cells. BVECs are fully stimulated by osteoblast conditioned medium, but MVECs respond by displaying substantially more p-/e-selectins. The data, while preliminary, suggest that BVECs in the ends of long bones possess adhesion properties that favor the entrapment of breast cancer cells.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Aug 01, 2004
- Accession Number
- ADA429149
Entities
People
- Carol V. Gay
Organizations
- Pennsylvania State University