title: Collagen-induced rapid morphogenesis of human mammary epithelial cells: the role of the alpha 2 beta 1 integrin.
abstract: The cell line MTSV1-7, originally derived by immortalizing mammary epithelial cells cultured from human milk was able to form three-dimensional structures in collagen gel. We have now found that these cells, cultured as a monolayer, are able to undergo rapid morphogenesis forming ridges and balls around collagen fibres, when soluble collagen type I is added to the medium. Monoclonal antibodies to the alpha 2 (P1E6) and beta 1- (mAB13) subunits of VLA-2, but not to the alpha 3-subunit (P1B5) of VLA-3, could block this collagen-induced rapid morphogenesis (CIRM). The effect of the antibodies on cell attachment, spreading, and migration on collagen gels was analyzed to identify alpha 2 beta 1 dependent steps which might be involved in CIRM. The results suggest that while other proteins, besides alpha 2 beta 1, are also involved in cell attachment and migration, cell spreading was specifically blocked by antibodies to the VLA-2, but not to the VLA-3 integrin. The results demonstrate that the alpha 2 beta 1 integrin plays a crucial role in the collagen-induced morphogenesis of human mammary epithelial cells and implicate the process of VLA-2-dependent cell spreading as an important step in this morphogenesis.
authors.affiliation: Imperial Cancer Research Fund, London, UK.
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Berdichevsky
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Gilbert
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Shearer
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Taylor-Papadimitriou
mesh_terms: D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D001940:Breast / Q000166:cytology*; D002448:Cell Adhesion / Q000502:physiology; D002454:Cell Differentiation / Q000502:physiology; D002460:Cell Line; D002465:Cell Movement / Q000502:physiology; D003094:Collagen / Q000502:physiology*; D004847:Epithelial Cells; D006801:Humans; D016023:Integrins / Q000276:immunology / Q000502:physiology*; D009024:Morphogenesis / Q000502:physiology
chemical_list: D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D016023:Integrins; D003094:Collagen