Promotion of Epithelial to Mesenchymal Transition by Hyaluronan
Abstract
The mammary gland is comprised of stromal and epithelial cells that communicate with each other through the extracellular matrix (ECM). Disruption of communication between the epithelium and stroma can both induce and promote breast cancer. Crosstalk between the mammary epithelium and stroma is also crucial for the proper patterning and function of the normal mammary gland. It has been proposed that HA may induce malignant transformation in normal cells through interaction with its receptors. We therefore wanted to elucidate its function during normal mammary gland development. The expression of HA in the stroma increased at week 5 and peaked at week 7, the time of puberty coinciding with ductal growth. We observed a decrease with age when the mammary gland achieves mature virginal development (week 9 and 11). The peak of HA expression during the time of puberty led us to hypothesize that HA expression may be estrogen-mediated. Preliminary data suggest a role of estrogen as a mediator for HA expression but the analysis is still ongoing.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Jul 01, 2005
- Accession Number
- ADA462484
Entities
People
- Silva Krause
Organizations
- Tufts University