title: BAG-1 overexpression attenuates luminal apoptosis in MCF-10A mammary epithelial cells through enhanced RAF-1 activation.
abstract: Although the multi-functional, prosurvival protein, Bcl-2-associated anthanogene 1 (BAG-1) is frequently overexpressed in breast cancers, its role in the development or maintenance of the malignant state remains unclear. Here, we have used the established MCF-10A 3-dimensional (3D) model of mammary morphogenesis as a biologically relevant system to determine how BAG-1 expression may influence the development of breast cancer. When cultured in 3D, MCF-10A cells undergo a highly regulated morphogenic program leading to the development of polarized acinar structures containing a central, hollow lumen formed, in part, through the induction of BIM-dependent apoptosis. BAG-1 overexpression resulted in an attenuation of this normal apoptotic program characterized by a significantly increased number of acini with filled lumens-a phenotype commonly observed in ductal carcinoma in situ. BAG-1's effects were associated with an activation of RAF-1-a known binding partner of BAG-1, enhanced signaling through the MAP kinase pathway and a decrease in BIM expression. Reversal of the BAG-1-associated survival phenotype by the mitogen-activated kinase/ERK kinase inhibitor, U0126, implicates the RAF-1-extracellular signal-regulated kinase signaling pathway as a major mediator of BAG-1's effects in this model. As BAG-1 expression is often elevated in preinvasive breast cancers, these findings support a possible role for BAG-1 as an early contributor to the malignant process in the breast.
authors.affiliation: Cancer Research Program, Garvan Institute of Medical Research, Darlinghurst, Sydney, New South Wales 2010, Australia.
authors.forename: L R
authors.initials: LR
authors.lastname: Anderson
authors.forename: R L
authors.initials: RL
authors.lastname: Sutherland
authors.forename: A J
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: Butt
mesh_terms: D017209:Apoptosis; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology*; D002070:Butadienes / Q000494:pharmacology; D018929:Cell Culture Techniques; D002460:Cell Line; D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D004789:Enzyme Activation; D015972:Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic; D006801:Humans; D020935:MAP Kinase Signaling System / Q000187:drug effects; D042361:Mammary Glands, Human / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism; D019950:Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase 1 / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000378:metabolism; D048052:Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase 3 / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000378:metabolism; D020929:Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase Kinases / Q000378:metabolism; D009361:Neoplasm Invasiveness / Q000235:genetics; D009570:Nitriles / Q000494:pharmacology; D047428:Protein Kinase Inhibitors / Q000494:pharmacology; D019908:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-raf / Q000378:metabolism*; D014157:Transcription Factors / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: C091732:BCL2-associated athanogene 1 protein; D002070:Butadienes; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins; D009570:Nitriles; D047428:Protein Kinase Inhibitors; D014157:Transcription Factors; C113580:U 0126; D019908:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-raf; D019950:Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase 1; D048052:Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase 3; D020929:Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase Kinases