TY - JOUR

T1 - Collagen gel contraction serves to rapidly distinguish epithelial- and mesenchymal-derived cells irrespective of alpha-smooth muscle actin expression

AU - Nielsen, Helga Lind

AU - Gudjonsson, Thorarinn

AU - Villadsen, René

AU - Rønnov-Jessen, Lone

AU - Petersen, Ole William

N1 - Keywords: Actins; Animals; Anti-Bacterial Agents; Breast Neoplasms; Cell Culture Techniques; Cell Line, Tumor; Cells, Cultured; Collagen; Doxycycline; Epithelial Cells; Female; Gels; Humans; Mesoderm; Stress, Mechanical; Stromal Cells

PY - 2004

Y1 - 2004

N2 - Mesenchymal-like cells in the stroma of breast cancer may arise as a consequence of plasticity within the epithelial compartment, also referred to as epithelial-mesenchymal transition, or by recruitment of genuine mesenchymal cells from the peritumoral stroma. Cells of both the epithelial compartment and the stromal compartment express alpha smooth muscle actin (alpha-sm actin) as part of a myoepithelial or a myofibroblastic differentiation program, respectively. Moreover, because both epithelial- and mesenchymal-derived cells are nontumorigenic, other means of discrimination are warranted. Here, we describe the contraction of hydrated collagen gels as a rapid functional assay for the distinction between epithelial- and mesenchymal-derived stromal-like cells irrespective of the status of alpha-sm actin expression. Three epithelial-derived cell lines and three genuine mesenchymal-derived breast cell lines were plated on top of hydrated collagen lattices. Reduction in gel height was measured every hour for 6 h and after 22 h using an x-y-z automated position table. Significantly, the epithelial-derived cells, irrespective of a high alpha-sm actin expression, had a fivefold lower contractility (10.0% reduction in gel height) than their true mesenchymal counterparts (53.1% reduction in gel height). To test whether at all force generation could be induced in the nonmesenchymal cells by alpha-sm actin, transductions were performed to obtain a tetracycline-dependent expression. Expression under these conditions did not augment contractility. It is concluded that epithelial-derived mesenchymal-like cells are functionally defective within a connective tissue environment irrespective of an apparent contractile phenotype.

AB - Mesenchymal-like cells in the stroma of breast cancer may arise as a consequence of plasticity within the epithelial compartment, also referred to as epithelial-mesenchymal transition, or by recruitment of genuine mesenchymal cells from the peritumoral stroma. Cells of both the epithelial compartment and the stromal compartment express alpha smooth muscle actin (alpha-sm actin) as part of a myoepithelial or a myofibroblastic differentiation program, respectively. Moreover, because both epithelial- and mesenchymal-derived cells are nontumorigenic, other means of discrimination are warranted. Here, we describe the contraction of hydrated collagen gels as a rapid functional assay for the distinction between epithelial- and mesenchymal-derived stromal-like cells irrespective of the status of alpha-sm actin expression. Three epithelial-derived cell lines and three genuine mesenchymal-derived breast cell lines were plated on top of hydrated collagen lattices. Reduction in gel height was measured every hour for 6 h and after 22 h using an x-y-z automated position table. Significantly, the epithelial-derived cells, irrespective of a high alpha-sm actin expression, had a fivefold lower contractility (10.0% reduction in gel height) than their true mesenchymal counterparts (53.1% reduction in gel height). To test whether at all force generation could be induced in the nonmesenchymal cells by alpha-sm actin, transductions were performed to obtain a tetracycline-dependent expression. Expression under these conditions did not augment contractility. It is concluded that epithelial-derived mesenchymal-like cells are functionally defective within a connective tissue environment irrespective of an apparent contractile phenotype.

U2 - 10.1290/1543-706X(2003)039<0297:CGCSTR>2.0.CO;2

DO - 10.1290/1543-706X(2003)039<0297:CGCSTR>2.0.CO;2

M3 - Journal article

C2 - 12908855

VL - 39

SP - 297

EP - 303

JO - In Vitro Cellular and Developmental Biology - Animal

JF - In Vitro Cellular and Developmental Biology - Animal

SN - 1071-2690

IS - 7

ER -