Relaxin promotes differentiation of human breast cancer cells MCF-7 transplanted into nude mice |
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Authors: | Daniele Bani Domenico Flagiello Marie-France Poupon Silvia Nistri Florance Poirson-Bichat Mario Bigazzi T. Bani Sacchi |
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Affiliation: | (1) Department of Anatomy, Histology and Forensic Medicine, Section of Histology, University of Florence, V.le Pieraccini 6, I-50139 Florence, Italy e-mail: histology@cesit1.unifi.it Tel.: +39-55-4271390, Fax: +39-55-4271385, IT;(2) Institut Curie, Paris Cedex 05, France, FR;(3) Prosperius Institute, Florence, Italy, IT |
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Abstract: | Previous studies showed that the hormone relaxin acts on human breast cancer MCF-7 cells in vitro by modulating cell proliferation and promoting cell differentiation toward a duct epithelial phenotype. The present study was designed to investigate whether relaxin retains these properties when acting in vivo on MCF-7 cell tumors developed in athymic nude mice. Mice bearing MCF-7 cell tumors transplanted under the mammary fat pad and estrogenized to sustain tumor growth were treated systemically with relaxin (10 microg/day) for 19 days. Vehicle-treated mice were used as controls. Thirty days later, the mice were sacrificed and tumor fragments were analyzed by light and electron microscopy and immunocytochemistry. Measurements of tumor volume were recorded weekly for the overall experimental period. The results obtained indicate that relaxin treatment promotes differentiation of tumor cells towards both myoepithelial-like and epithelial-like cells, as judged by the ultrastructural features of the cells and by the increased expression of smooth muscle actin and cadherins. Measurements of tumor size and of the number of cycling cells show that relaxin, at the doses and times of exposure used in this study, does not significantly influence tumor growth and cell proliferation. |
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Keywords: | Relaxin Breast cancer MCF-7 cells Nude mice |
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