Factors regulating basement membrane invasion by tumor cells.
Basement membranes serve as significant barriers to the passage of tumor cells but ones which metastatic cells can pass. This involves the production of a cascade of proteases leading to the activation of a specific collagenase that degrades the unique collagen network in basement membrane. Breast cancer cells, when estrogen dependent, show a requirement for estrogen for invasive activity. However, when these cells progress to an estrogen independent state and increased malignancy, they express an invasive phenotype constitutively. Studies with various anti-estrogens suggest that these responses are mediated via the estrogen receptor. Anti-estrogens lacking agonist activity suppress invasiveness as well as growth of the breast cancer cells.
Thompson
E W
EW
Reich
R
R
Martin
G R
GR
Albini
A
A
D001485:Basement Membrane / Q000737:chemistry / Q000473:pathology*; D002630:Chemotactic Factors; D011508:Chondroitin Sulfate Proteoglycans / Q000737:chemistry; D003094:Collagen / Q000737:chemistry; D019812:Heparan Sulfate Proteoglycans; D006497:Heparan Sulfate / Q000737:chemistry; D006801:Humans; D007797:Laminin / Q000737:chemistry; D003012:Microbial Collagenase / Q000502:physiology; D009361:Neoplasm Invasiveness / Q000503:physiopathology*; D009362:Neoplasm Metastasis / Q000517:prevention & control; D010960:Plasminogen Activators / Q000502:physiology; D014407:Tumor Cells, Cultured
D002630:Chemotactic Factors; D011508:Chondroitin Sulfate Proteoglycans; D003094:Collagen; D019812:Heparan Sulfate Proteoglycans; D006497:Heparan Sulfate; D007797:Laminin; D003012:Microbial Collagenase; D010960:Plasminogen Activators