Analysis of Trastuzumab effects in breast cancer cells in vitro

An In Vitro model to study bone metastasis.

Proteomic Analysis of Protein Components in Periodontal Ligament Fibroblasts

BACKGROUND: Characterization of periodontal ligament (PDL) fibroblast proteome is an important tool for understanding PDL physiology and regulation and for identifying disease-related protein markers. PDL fibroblast protein expression has been studied using immunological methods, although limited to previously identified proteins for which specific antibodies are available. METHODS: We applied proteomic analysis coupled with mass spectrometry and database knowledge to human PDL fibroblasts. RESULTS: We detected 900 spots and identified 117 protein spots originating in 74 different genes. In addition to scaffold cytoskeletal proteins, e.g., actin, tubulin, and vimentin, we identified protein…

Occurrence of S100A7 in a large sample-set of breast cancer tissues

Modulation of neoplastic phenotype by Extracellular Matrix components.

Pyrazole[3,4-d]pyrimidine derivatives loaded into halloysite as potential CDK inhibitors

Uncontrolled cell proliferation is a hallmark of cancer as a result of rapid and deregulated progression through the cell cycle. The inhibition of cyclin-dependent kinases (CDKs) activities is a promising therapeutic strategy to block cell cycle of tumor cells. In this work we reported a new example of nanocomposites based on halloysite nanotubes (HNTs)/pyrazolo[3,4-d]pyrimidine derivatives (Si306 and Si113) as anticancer agents and CDK inhibitors. HNTs/Si306 and HNTs/Si113 nanocomposites were synthesized and characterized. The release kinetics were also investigated. Antitumoral activity was evaluated on three cancer cell lines (HeLa, MDA-MB-231 and HCT116) and the effects on cell cycle ar…

MULTIOMICS ANALYSIS OF S100 PROTEINS IN BREAST CANCER

The S100 gene family is the largest subfamily of calcium binding proteins of EF-hand type, expressed in tissue and cell-specific manner. S100 proteins act as intracellular regulators and as extracellular signaling. Within cells, S100 have been involved in the regulation of proliferation, differentiation, apoptosis, energy metabolism, inflammation, migration and invasion via interactions with a variety of target proteins. Extracellular S100 proteins act in an autocrine and paracrine manner through the activation of surface receptors that regulate cell proliferation, differentiation, survival and migration. More recently, there is growing interest in the S100 proteins and their relationship w…

Clinicopathological correlations of MMP-2 and MMP-9 in breast cancer

Fluorescent naphthalimide-imidazolium hydrogels for biomedical applications

Bioimaging and in vivo imaging are cornerstone technologies in support of biomedical diagnosis. However, in some cases imaging methods have increased cancer risks for patients. Moreover, the most widely used diagnostic medical imaging technique, X-ray imaging, is the largest man-made source of radiation exposure to the general population. Thus, the research of new efficient and less invasive materials for imaging is quite urgent. Supramolecular hydrogels have recently proved to be promising biological carriers to load versatile bioimaging agents for in vitro or in vivo bioimaging, thanks to the ability to undergo reversible swelling and gel–sol transition in response to various physiologica…

A multiomics analysis of S100 protein family in breast cancer

The S100 gene family is the largest subfamily of calcium binding proteins of EF-hand type, expressed in tissue and cell-specific manner, acting both as intracellular regulators and extracellular mediators. There is a growing interest in the S100 proteins and their relationships with different cancers because of their involvement in a variety of biological events closely related to tumorigenesis and cancer progression. However, the collective role and the possible coordination of this group of proteins, as well as the functional implications of their expression in breast cancer (BC) is still poorly known. We previously reported a large-scale proteomic investigation performed on BC patients f…

Proteogenomic changes in differentianting U937

Proteomic modulation of breast cancer cells (8701-BC) cocultured with normal human fibroblasts.

Differential proteomics of thyroid carcinoma cell lines

Proteomic modulation in breast cancer cells

Levels of circulating gelatinases and proteomic correlations in breast cancer patients.

Anti-oncogenic role of decorin: identification of new markers.

The effects of structural changes on the anti-microbial and anti-proliferative activities of diimidazolium salts

An array of diimidazolium salts has been synthesized and used to investigate their anti-microbial and anti-proliferative activities. In particular, salts based on the 3,30-di-n-alkyl-1,10-(1,n-phenylenedimethylene)- diimidazolium cation and differing in the alkyl chain length on the imidazolium ion, the isomeric substitution on the aromatic spacer and in the anion nature were used. The anti-proliferative activity was evaluated against cervical (HeLa), colon adenocarcinoma (HT-29) and breast (SKBR3) cancer cell lines. In the latter case, also a morphological assessment after treatment with salts was performed. All salts were tested for their hemolytic activity against human erythrocytes. On …

Fibroblast’s role in breast cancer: a proteomic approach

Fibroblasts are the major mesenchymal cell types committed to the matrix formation and renewal. Moreover they are the main source of paracrine factors that influence the growth of epithelial cells of neighbouring tissues. For these properties they may be involved in tumourigenesis, either by remodelling the tumor-associated extracellular matrix (ECM), and by the production of paracrine factors that influence the growth of carcinoma cells. Studies on fibroblasts associated to carcinomas have documented their phenotypic modifications, including abnormal migratory behaviour in vitro and growth factors altered expression(Schor & Schor, 2001). In addition, fibroblasts often recruit inflammat…

Proteomic Detection of Breast-Cancer Subpopulations.

Caffeine boosts Ataluren's readthrough activity

Abstract The readthrough of nonsense mutations by small molecules like Ataluren is considered a novel therapeutic approach to overcome the gene defect in several genetic diseases as cystic fibrosis (CF). This pharmacological approach suppresses translation termination at premature termination codons (PTCs readthrough) thus restoring the expression of a functional protein. However, readthrough might be limited by the nonsense-mediated mRNA decay (NMD), a cell process that reduces the amount/level of PTCs containing mRNAs. Here we investigate the combined action of Ataluren and caffeine to enhance the readthrough of PTCs. IB3.1 CF cells with a nonsense mutation were treated with caffeine to a…

Comparative Proteomic and immunohistochemistry analyses to study alphaenolase/MBP-1 isoforms expression in breast cancer

Prognostic and functional significant of mmp2 and mmp9 in breast cancer unveiled by proteomic analysis

Retrospective Proteomic Screening of 100 Breast Cancer Tissues.

The present investigation has been conducted on one hundred tissue fragments of breast cancer, collected and immediately cryopreserved following the surgical resection. The specimens were selected from patients with invasive ductal carcinoma of the breast, the most frequent and potentially aggressive type of mammary cancer, with the objective to increase the knowledge of breast cancer molecular markers potentially useful for clinical applications. The proteomic screening; by 2D-IPG and mass spectrometry; allowed us to identify two main classes of protein clusters: proteins expressed ubiquitously at high levels in all patients; and proteins expressed sporadically among the same patients. Wit…

Multi-omics analysis of epithelial-to mesenchymal transition mediators in breast cancer

Extracellular Vesicles: The New Frontier of Stem Cell Regenerative Medicine?

Regenerative medicine aims to repair damaged or missing cells, tissues or organs for the treatment of various diseases, poorly managed with conventional drugs and medical procedures. To date there are different approaches to obtain these results. Multimodal regenerative methods include transplant of healthy organs, tissues, or cells, body stimulation to activate a self healing response in damaged tissues, as well as the combined use of cells and bio-degradable scaffold to obtain functional tissues. Certainly, stem cells and derived products are promising tools in regenerative medicine due to their ability to induce de novo tissue formation and/or promote tissue and organ repair and regenera…

Proteomic Profiling of Colon Cancer Tissues: Discovery of New Candidate Biomarkers

Colon cancer is an aggressive tumor form with a poor prognosis. This study reports a comparative proteomic analysis performed by using two-dimensional differential in-gel electrophoresis (2D-DIGE) between 26 pooled colon cancer surgical tissues and adjacent non-tumoral tissues, to identify potential target proteins correlated with carcinogenesis. The DAVID functional classification tool revealed that most of the differentially regulated proteins, acting both intracellularly and extracellularly, concur across multiple cancer steps. The identified protein classes include proteins involved in cell proliferation, apoptosis, metabolic pathways, oxidative stress, cell motility, Ras signal transdu…

The gelatinase MMP-9like is involved in regulation of LPS inflammatory response in Ciona robusta

Matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) are a family of endopeptidases collectively able to degrade the components of the extracellular matrix (ECM), with important roles in many biological processes, such as embryogenesis, normal tissue remodelling, angiogenesis and wound healing. New views on the function of MMPs reveal that they regulate inflammatory response and therefore might represent an early step in the evolution of the immune system. MMPs can affect the activity of cytokines involved in inflammation including TGF-β and TNF-α. MMPs are widely distributed in all kingdoms of life and have likely evolved from a single-domain protein which underwent successive rounds of duplications. In this …

The fibroblasts: co-actors in cancer.

PROTEOMIC EFFECTS INDUCED BY MICROENVIRONMENT COMPONENTS ON 8701-BC BREAST CANCER CELLS: AN UPDATED REPORT

Proteomic analysis of Herceptin-resistance breast cancer cells

Differential proteomic and phenotypic behavior of papillary and anaplastic thyroid carcinoma cell lines: an updated study

Breast cancer proteomics: from research to clinical applications.

The exponentially increasing volume of information extracted from genomic and proteomic applications on cancer, while providing new insights into molecular composition of cancer cells and tissues, imposes new challenges on data rationalization as a tool for clinically relevant biomarker discovery. Breast cancer represents the most frequent and potentially aggressive type of cancer and, moreover, it is one of the most enigmatic and poorly predictable in its evolution, likely because it includes several different forms that behave differently among patients. Current clinical parameters for breast cancer diagnosis and cure are: tumour size, axillary lymph node status, histological grading and …

Naphthalimide imidazolium-based supramolecular hydrogels as bioimaging and theranostic soft materials

1,8-Naphthalimide-based imidazolium salts differing for the alkyl chain length and the nature of the anion were synthesized and characterized to obtain fluorescent probes for bioimaging applications. First, their self-assembly behavior and gelling ability were investigated in water and water/dimethyl sulfoxide binary mixtures. Only salts having longer alkyl chains were able to give supramolecular hydrogels, whose properties were investigated by using a combined approach of fluorescence, resonance light scattering, and rheology measurements. Morphological information was obtained by scanning electron microscopy. In addition, conductive properties of organic salts in solution and gel state we…

Prognostic and Functional Significant of Heat Shock Proteins (HSPs) in Breast Cancer Unveiled by Multi-Omics Approaches

Simple Summary In this study, we investigated the expression pattern and prognostic significance of the heat shock proteins (HSPs) family members in breast cancer (BC) by using several bioinformatics tools and proteomics investigations. Our results demonstrated that, collectively, HSPs were deregulated in BC, acting as both oncogene and onco-suppressor genes. In particular, two different HSP-clusters were significantly associated with a poor or good prognosis. Interestingly, the HSPs deregulation impacted gene expression and miRNAs regulation that, in turn, affected important biological pathways involved in cell cycle, DNA replication, and receptors-mediated signaling. Finally, the proteomi…

Ectopic decorin induces proteomic and cytoskeleton modulation of breast cancer cells

A PUTATIVE PROTEOMIC SIGNATURE FOR STROMAL FIBROBLAST-LIKE STEM CELLS

Fibroblast-derived factors modulate breast cancer cell proteomics.

Expression of Alpha-Enolase (ENO1), Myc Promoter-Binding Protein-1 (MBP-1) and Matrix Metalloproteinases (MMP-2 and MMP-9) Reflect the Nature and Aggressiveness of Breast Tumors

Breast cancer is a complex and heterogeneous disease: Several molecular alterations cause cell proliferation and the acquisition of an invasive phenotype. Extracellular matrix (ECM) is considered essential for sustaining tumor growth and matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) have been identified as drivers of many aspects of the tumor phenotype. Mounting evidence indicates that both &alpha

S100S PROTEIN EXPRESSION IN A LARGE SAMPLE-SET OF BREAST CANCER TISSUES

S100 proteins are low molecular weight proteins ranging in size from 9 to 13 kDa. They form homo- and heterodimers and even oligomers and are expressed in tissue and cell-specific manner [1]. It is well documented, infact, that S100 proteins have a broad range of intracellular and extracellular functions. Intracellular functions include regulation of protein phosphorylation, enzyme activity, calcium homeostasis, regulation of cytoskeletal components and regulation of transcriptional factors, so they are involved in several biological processes including cell cycle regulation, cell growth, cell differentiation, and motility [2]. Extracellularly they act in a cytokine like manner through the …

Zymographic detection of MMP-2 and MMP-9 in breast cancer sera patients during chemotherapy.

Toxic effects induced by vanadium on sea urchin embryos

Vanadium, a naturally occurring element widely distributed in soil, water and air, has received considerable interest because its compounds are often used in different applications, from industry to medicine. While the possible medical use of vanadium compounds is promising, its potential harmful effects on living organisms are still unclear. Here, for the first time, we provide a toxicological profile induced by vanadium on Paracentrotus lividus sea urchin embryos, reporting an integrated and comparative analysis of the detected effects reflecting vanadium-toxicity. At the morphological level we found a dose-dependent induction of altered phenotypes and of skeletal malformations. At the mo…

Anticancer activity of biogenerated silver nanoparticles: an integrated proteomic investigation

Silver nanoparticles (AgNPs), embedded into a specific polysaccharide (EPS), were biogenerated by Klebsiella oxytoca DSM 29614 under aerobic (AgNPs-EPSaer) and anaerobic conditions (AgNPs-EPSanaer). Both AgNPs-EPS matrices were tested by MTT assay for cytotoxic activity against human breast (SKBR3 and 8701-BC) and colon (HT-29, HCT 116 and Caco-2) cancer cell lines, revealing AgNPs-EPSaer as the most active, in terms of IC50, with a more pronounced efficacy against breast cancer cell lines. Therefore, colony forming capability, morphological changes, generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS), induction of apoptosis and autophagy, inhibition of migratory and invasive capabilities and prote…

The Secreted Protein C10orf118 Is a New Regulator of Hyaluronan Synthesis Involved in Tumour-Stroma Cross-Talk.

Simple Summary Hyaluronan is a main glycosaminoglycan in extracellular matrix with an important role in breast cancer progression. Alterations in its synthesis and size may affect tu-mour growth and metastasis. Communication between stromal and breast cancer cells consists of the secretion of factors that provoke a series of cell signalling that influence cell fate and tis-sue microenvironment, by favouring tumour cell survival and motility. Here, we present the c10orf118 protein expressed in high amounts by breast tumour cells as a new regulator in hya-luronan synthesis. This protein is found both in Golgi and secreted in the extracellular matrix, whereas its role is still unknown. The sec…

Cross-talk between fibroblast and breast cancer cells: a proteomic study

A Two-Component regulatory system with opposite effects on glycopeptide antibiotic biosynthesis and resistance

AbstractThe glycopeptide A40926, produced by the actinomycete Nonomuraea gerenzanensis, is the precursor of dalbavancin, a second-generation glycopeptide antibiotic approved for clinical use in the USA and Europe in 2014 and 2015, respectively. The final product of the biosynthetic pathway is an O-acetylated form of A40926 (acA40926). Glycopeptide biosynthesis in N. gerenzanensis is dependent upon the dbv gene cluster that encodes, in addition to the two essential positive regulators Dbv3 and Dbv4, the putative members of a two-component signal transduction system, specifically the response regulator Dbv6 and the sensor kinase Dbv22. The aim of this work was to assign a role to these two ge…

When the functionalisation comes in useful: ionic liquids with a “sweet” appended moiety demonstrate drastically reduced toxicological effects

The growing number of applications of ionic liquids (ILs) in industry have brought attention to the green credentials of synthesis, as well as their cytotoxicities and ecotoxicities both for their use and accidental leakage into the environment. With the abovementioned properties in mind, we designed a class of ILs with either cations bearing a gluconamide motif and aliphatic side chains or the anion incorporating a gluconic acid (derived from food waste) moiety. An IL with an imidazolium cation with an appended gluconic amide (bearing five hydroxyl groups) moiety was also synthesized for a useful comparison. Different structural features were considered, placing emphasis on the nature and …

Extracellular Vesicles Shed by Melanoma Cells Contain a Modified Form of H1.0 Linker Histone and H1.0 mRNA-binding Proteins

Extracellular vesicles (EVs) are shed in the extracellular environment by both prokaryotes and eukaryotes. Although produced from both normal and cancer cells, malignant cells release a much higher amount of EVs, which also contain tumor-specific proteins and RNAs. We previously found that G26/24 oligodendroglioma cells shed EVs that contain the pro-apoptotic factors FasL and TRAIL1-2. Interestingly, G26/24 release, via EVs, extracellular matrix remodelling proteases3, and H1° histone protein4, and mRNA. To shed further light on the role of EVs in discarding proteins and mRNAs otherwise able to counteract proliferative signals, we studied a melanoma cell line (A375). We found that also thes…

Analisi di cluster proteomici per l'identificazione di sottopopolazioni di pazienti con carcinoma mammario

PHENOTYPIC PROFILING OF THYROID CARCINOMA CELL LINES AND DIFFERENTIAL SECRETION OF MATRIX METALLOPROTEINASES

Evaluation of cellular response of breast cancer cells grown on distinctive collagen substrates

LARGE-SCALE COMPARATIVE PROTEOMICS OF BREAST CANCER SURGICAL TISSUES

Studio preliminare di un complesso binario alginato di sodio/chitosano biocompatibile caricato con curcumina

In Vitro Phenotypic, Genomic and Proteomic Characterization of a Cytokine-Resistant Murine β-TC3 Cell Line

Type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM) is caused by the selective destruction of insulin-producing β-cells. This process is mediated by cells of the immune system through release of nitric oxide, free radicals and pro-inflammatory cytokines, which induce a complex network of intracellular signalling cascades, eventually affecting the expression of genes involved in β-cell survival. The aim of our study was to investigate possible mechanisms of resistance to cytokine-induced β-cell death. To this purpose, we created a cytokine-resistant β-cell line (β-TC3R) by chronically treating the β-TC3 murine insulinoma cell line with IL-1β + IFN-γ. β-TC3R cells exhibited higher proliferation rate and resistan…

Studio dell'interattoma di PAR-6 in cellule di carcinoma mammario 8701-BC

Comparative proteomics of breast cancer surgical tissues

Cytoskeleton modulation in breast cancer cells induced by stromal microenvironment.

Nano-structured myelin: new nanovesicles for targeted delivery to white matter and microglia, from brain-to-brain

Neurodegenerative diseases affect millions of people worldwide and the presence of various physiological barriers limits the accessibility to the brain and reduces the efficacy of various therapies. Moreover, new carriers having targeting properties to specific brain regions and cells are needed in order to improve therapies for the brain disorder treatment. In this study, for the first time, Myelin nanoVesicles (hereafter defined MyVes) from brain-extracted myelin were produced. The MyVes have an average diameter of 100–150 ​nm, negative zeta potential, spheroidal morphology, and contain lipids and the key proteins of the myelin sheath. Furthermore, they exhibit good cytocompatibility. The…

Proteomic differentiation pattern in the U937 cell line

The U937 cell line, originally established from a histiocytic lymphoma, has been widely used as a powerful in vitro model for haematological studies. These cells retain the immature cell phenotype and can be induced to differentiate by several factors, among which 12-O-tetradecanoyl-13-phorbol acetate (TPA). Fully differentiated cells acquire the adherent phenotype and exhibit various properties typical of macrophages. However, in spite of a great deal of research devoted to the U937 cellular model, the molecular basis of biological processes involved in the monocyte/macrophage differentiation remains unclear. The present study has been undertaken to contribute to this knowledge, in order t…

Proteomic Detection of Breast-Cancer Subpopulation

Genomic and proteomic profiling of decorin transfected breast cancer cells.

Correlation between MMPS and proteomic profiles of breast cancer tissues

The Role of Matrix Metalloproteinases (MMP-2 and MMP-9) in Ageing and Longevity: Focus on Sicilian Long-Living Individuals (LLIs)

Extracellular matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) are a group of proteins that activate substrates by enzymatic cleavage and, on the basis of their activities, have been demonstrated to play a role in ageing. Thus, in order to gain insight into the pathophysiology of ageing and to identify new markers of longevity, we analysed the activity levels of MMP-2 and MMP-9 in association with some relevant haematochemical parameters in a Sicilian population, including long-living individuals (LLIs, ≥95 years old). A cohort of 154 healthy subjects (72 men and 82 women) of different ages (age range 20-112) was recruited. The cohort was divided into five subgroups: the first group with subjects less than…

Gene ontology-based annotation and comparative analysis of proteins extracted from proteomics of 100 breast cancer patients.

Background: Current clinical parameters for breast cancer diagnosis and therapy are: tumour size, axillary lymph node status, histological grading and presence or absence of metastases. Prognostic/predictive properties, such as oestrogen and progesterone receptor status, and human epidermal growth factor receptor (HER-2/neu) status are currently used for therapeutic decision. Conversely, it is now emerging that the number of genetic mutations and epigenetic deregulations in cancer is far more higher than previously thought. Therefore, proteomic screening for differential protein expression in subsets of tumor samples is an essential tool for generating data bases and biomarker discovery. Th…

A proteomic cluster for osteotropic breast cancer cells

PROTEOMIC SIGNATURE OF BREAST CANCER TISSUES FOR PATIENTS STRATIFICATION

Proteomic modulation induced in fibroblasts by breast cancer cells (8701‐BC)paracrine factors.

Investigating REPAIRv2 as a Tool to Edit CFTR mRNA with Premature Stop Codons

Cystic fibrosis (CF) is caused by mutations in the gene encoding the transmembrane conductance regulator (CFTR) protein. Some CF patients are compound heterozygous or homozygous for nonsense mutations in the CFTR gene. This implies the presence in the transcript of premature termination codons (PTCs) responsible for a truncated CFTR protein and a more severe form of the disease. Aminoglycoside and PTC124 derivatives have been used for the read-through of PTCs to restore the full-length CFTR protein. However, in a precision medicine framework, the CRISPR/dCas13b-based molecular tool &ldquo

Analisi comparativa tra linee cellulari di carcinoma tiroideo papillare ed anaplastico

Imbibition of Femtoliter-Scale DNA-Rich Aqueous Droplets into Porous Nylon Substrates by Molecular Printing

This work presents the first reported imbibition mechanism of femtoliter (fL)-scale droplets produced by microchannel cantilever spotting (μCS) of DNA molecular inks into porous substrates (hydrophilic nylon). Differently from macroscopic or picoliter droplets, the downscaling to the fL-size leads to an imbibition process controlled by the subtle interplay of evaporation, spreading, viscosity, and capillarity, with gravitational forces being quasi-negligible. In particular, the minimization of droplet evaporation, surface tension, and viscosity allows for a reproducible droplet imbibition process. The dwell time on the nylon surface permits further tuning of the droplet lateral size, in acc…

NEW PROTEOMIC EVIDENCE ON DECORIN EFFECTS ON BREAST CANCER CELLS

The estabilishment of a dinamic crosstyalk between the malignant cells and several components of the ECM is a crucial step of the tumor progression. The aim of the present study was to improve the knowledge about the effects of ectopic decorin on the breast cancer cells, starting from our previous proteomic studies. The new proteomic evidences strenghteh the anti-oncogenic effects of decorin and hilight the attention on the decreased expression of the majority of the members of three protein classes closely related to the malignant phenotype: the metabolic enzymes, the S100 family and the cell motility proteins

Synthesis and antibacterial activity of iron-hexacyanocobaltate nanoparticles.

This paper deals with the synthesis and characterization of iron-hexacyanocobaltate (FeHCC) and its antibacterial properties. The nanoparticles were prepared by a facile co-precipitation technique. Crystal structure, particle morphology, and elemental composition were determined using X-ray Powder Diffraction, X-ray fluorescence spectroscopy, Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM), and Infrared Spectroscopy (IR). The antibacterial activity of the FeHCC nanoparticles was tested against Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus as models for Gram-negative and Gram-positive bacteria, respectively, by bacterial counting method and microscopic visualization (TEM, FEG-SEM, and fluorescence micro…

CHARACTERIZATION OF PAR6 INTERACTORS IN 8701-BC BREAST CANCER CELL LINE

Large-scale proteomic identification of S100 proteins in breast cancer tissues

Abstract Background Attempts to reduce morbidity and mortality in breast cancer is based on efforts to identify novel biomarkers to support prognosis and therapeutic choices. The present study has focussed on S100 proteins as a potentially promising group of markers in cancer development and progression. One reason of interest in this family of proteins is because the majority of the S100 genes are clustered on a region of human chromosome 1q21 that is prone to genomic rearrangements. Moreover, there is increasing evidence that S100 proteins are often up-regulated in many cancers, including breast, and this is frequently associated with tumour progression. Methods Samples of breast cancer t…

New Synthetic Nitro-Pyrrolomycins as Promising Antibacterial and Anticancer Agents

: Pyrrolomycins (PMs) are polyhalogenated antibiotics known as powerful biologically active compounds, yet featuring high cytotoxicity. The present study reports the antibacterial and antitumoral properties of new chemically synthesized PMs, where the three positions of the pyrrolic nucleus were replaced by nitro groups, aiming to reduce their cytotoxicity while maintaining or even enhancing the biological activity. Indeed, the presence of the nitro substituent in diverse positions of the pyrrole determined an improvement of the minimal bactericidal concentration (MBC) against Gram-positive (i.e., Staphylococcus aureus) or -negative (i.e., Pseudomonas aeruginosa) pathogen strains as compare…

DECORIN EFFECTS ON PROTEOMIC PROFILING OF BREAST CANCER CELLS: AN UPDATED STUDY

The malignant carcinomas are characterized by several capabilities acquired by the neoplastic cells, among which the ability to invade the extracellular matrix (ECM) and to establish a crosstalk with several ECM components. Under this respect, the extracellular microenvironment is an entity extraordinarily rich of information with opposite signals. Our group has long undertaken the study of the effects of ECM molecules on the behavior of cancer cells in vitro. Among the studied molecules, the decorin was found to exert a non-permissive effect on the growth and motility of the transfected tumor cells. The decorin, belongs to the family of small leucine-rich proteoglycans (SLRP) and is involv…

Effetti indotti da fattori diffusibili fibroblastici sull'espressione proteica di cellule di carcinoma mammario.

Cross-talk between breast cancer cells and fibroblasts in coculture system.

CIRCULATING AND TISSUE FORMS OF MMP2 AND MMP9 IN BREAST CANCER PROGRESSION

Tumor progression and metastasis represent the leading causes of cancer related death. One of the major features that may contribute to neoplastic cell dissemination is the progressive and local degradation of the extracellular matrix (ECM) surrounding the primary tumour. Degradation of the ECM requires the coordinated action of a number of enzymes produced locally by neoplastic cells and/or stromal cells. Five categories of proteinases have been implicated in the invasive process: serine, cysteine, aspartic, threonine proteinases and matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs), also known as matrixins, which play a key role as terminal effectors of the proteolytic cascade. At present 23 members of th…

Differential proteomic and phenotypic behaviour of papillary and anaplastic thyroid cell lines.

Abstract Thyroid carcinomas account for a minority of all malignant tumours but, after those of the gonads, they represent the most common forms of endocrine cancers. They include several types, among which the papillary thyroid cancer (PTC) and the anaplastic thyroid cancer (ATC) are the best known. The two hystotypes display significant biological and clinical differences: PTC is a well differentiated form of tumour with a high incidence and a good prognosis, while the ATC is less frequent but represents one of the most aggressive endocrine tumours with morphological features of an undifferentiated type. To date, as far as we know, no conclusive studies, useful to design arrays of molecul…

Exploring the anticancer activity and the mechanism of action of pyrrolomycins F obtained by microwave-assisted total synthesis

Pyrrolomycins (PMs) are a family of naturally occurring antibiotic agents, isolated from the fermentation broth of Actinosporangium and Streptomyces species. Pursuing our studies on pyrrolomycins, we performed the total synthesis of the F-series pyrrolomycins (1–4) by microwave-assisted synthesis (MAOS), thus obtaining the title compounds in excellent yields (63–69%). Considering that there is no evidence so far of the anticancer effect of this class of compounds, we investigated PMs for their antiproliferative activity against HCT116 and MCF-7 cancer cell lines. PMs showed anticancer activity at submicromolar level with a minimal effect on normal epithelial cell line (hTERT RPE-1), and the…

New protein clustering of breast cancer tissue proteomics using actin content as a cellularity indicator

In the present study, we report the comparative proteome profiles of proteins solubilized from 37 breast cancer surgical tissues, normalized for the actin content. Blood-derived proteins were excluded from the analysis. Among the tumor-derived protein spots, a large proportion (39%) was found present in all patients. These included several glycolytic enzymes, detox and heat shock proteins, members of annexin and S100 protein families, cathepsin D, and two “rare” proteins, DDAH2 involved in the angiogenesis control, and the oncogene PARK7. Other proteins, such as psoriasin, galectin1, cofilin, peroredoxins, SH3L1, and others, showed sporadic presence and high expression level, which suggests…

Physiactisome: A New Nanovesicle Drug Containing Heat Shock Protein 60 for Treating Muscle Wasting and Cachexia.

Currently, no commercially available drugs have the ability to reverse cachexia or counteract muscle wasting and the loss of lean mass. Here, we report the methodology used to develop Physiactisome—a conditioned medium released by heat shock protein 60 (Hsp60)—overexpressing C2C12 cell lines enriched with small and large extracellular vesicles. We also present evidence supporting its use in the treatment of cachexia. Briefly, we obtain a nanovesicle-based secretion by genetically modifying C2C12 cell lines with an Hsp60-overexpressing plasmid. The secretion is used to treat naïve C2C12 cell lines. Physiactisome activates the expression of PGC-1α isoform 1, which is di…

Comparative detection of matrix metalloproteinase-2 and -9, interleukin-6 and c-reactive protein in breast cancer serum of patients during neoadjuvant chemotherapy

Fibroblast’s influence on breast cancer cells.

Effects of fibroblast diffusible factors on proteomic modulation of breast cancer cells.

New Insights into the Occurrence of Matrix Metalloproteases -2 and -9 in a Cohort of Breast Cancer Patients and Proteomic Correlations

Matrix metalloproteases (MMPS) are a family of well-known enzymes which operate prevalently in the extracellular domain, where they fulfil the function of remodeling the extracellular matrix. Within the about 26 family members, encoded by 24 genes in humans, MMP-2 and MMP-9, have been regarded as the primary responsibility for the basement membrane and pericellular ECM rearrangement. In cases of infiltrating carcinomas, which arise from the epithelial tissues of a gland or of an internal organ, a marked alteration of the expression and the activity levels of both MMPs is known to occur. Present investigation represents the continuation and upgrading of our previous studies, now focusing on …

BEHAVIOVRAL CHANGES OF BREAST CANCER CELLS IN VITRO

Differential occurrence of S100A7 in breast cancer tissues: A proteomic-based investigation

Purpose The present study reports for the first time a large-scale proteomic screening of the occurrence, subcellular localization and relative quantification of the S100A7 protein among a group of 100 patients, clinically grouped for the diagnosis of infiltrating ductal carcinoma (IDC). Experimental design To this purpose, the methods of differential proteomics, Western blotting, and immunohistochemistry were used. Results The identity of two isoforms of the protein was assessed by mass spectrometry and immunologically confirmed. Moreover, we proved by immunocytochemical applications the exclusive localization of the protein within the neoplastic cells. The correlation of S100A7 expression…

Proteomic patterns of cultured breast cancer cells and epithelial mammary cells.

: Breast cancer is one of the leading causes of death from cancer among women in western countries. The different types of breast cancer are grouped into invasive and noninvasive forms. Among the invasive types, ductal infiltrating carcinoma (DIC) is the most common and aggressive form. Using an in vitro model consisting of a DIC-derived cell line (8701-BC) and a nontumoral mammary epithelial cell line (HB2), we used the proteomics approach to search for homology and differences in protein expression patterns between tumoral and nontumoral phenotypes. Within an analysis window comprising 1,750 discernible spots we have currently catalogued 140 protein spots of potential interest. Fifty-eigh…

The cytoskeletal network in fibroblasts cultured from PXE patients

Breast cancer cells exhibit selective modulation induced by different collagen substrates.

During the invasive phase of malignant tumors, neoplastic cells break into the basal lamina and enter in contact with the underlying connective tissue, which concurrently undergoes extensive modifications. The aim of our present minireview is to focus the changes in the collagenous matrix occurring during breast cancer progression and to explore the possible effects of different collagen substrates on breast cancer cell behavior and proteomic modulation.

DICATIONIC IMIDAZOLIUM SALTS: TUNABLE ANTIMICROBIAL AND ANTITUMORAL CHEMIOTHERAPEUTIC LEADS

The chemical synthesis of novel chemotherapeutical leads is evolving thanks to possibility to design molecules with desired physical-chemical and, thus, biological properties. The imidazolium salts, recently proven effective to inhibit bacterial and/or cancer cell growth, posses an amphiphilic nature that is conferred by the imidazolium cation having a polar head generally coupled with aliphatic side chains. Thus, biological properties of imidazolium salts can be tuned through modifications involving the cation structure and/or the anion nature. By covalently linking two imidazolium rings, di-imidazolium salts were obtainedobtain differing in: i) kind of anions; ii) geometric isomerization …

Multicomponent Antibiofilm Lipid Nanoparticles as Novel Platform to Ameliorate Resveratrol Properties: Preliminary Outcomes on Fibroblast Proliferation and Migration

The well-being of skin and mucous membranes is fundamental for the homeostasis of the body and thus it is imperative to treat any lesion quickly and correctly. In this view, polyphenols might assist and enhance a successful wound healing process by reducing the inflammatory cascade and the production of free radicals. However, they suffer from disadvantageous physico–chemical properties, leading to restricted clinical use. In this work, a complex mixture of PEGylated lipid, Glyceryl monoester, 18-β-Glycyrrhetinic Acid and Menthol was designed to entrap Resveratrol (RSV) as the active ingredient and further produce lipid nanoparticles (LNPs) by homogenization followed by high-freq…

Proteomic modulation of neoplastic cells by extracellular matrix components

Mononuclear Perfluoroalkyl-Heterocyclic Complexes of Pd(II): Synthesis, Structural Characterization and Antimicrobial Activity

Two mononuclear Pd(II) complexes [PdCl2(pfptp)] (1) and [PdCl2(pfhtp)] (2), with ligands 2-(3-perfluoropropyl-1-methyl-1,2,4-triazole-5yl)-pyridine (pfptp) and 2-(3-perfluoroheptyl-1-methyl-1,2,4-triazole-5yl)-pyridine (pfhtp), were synthesized and structurally characterized. The two complexes showed a bidentate coordination of the ligand occurring through N atom of pyridine ring and N4 atom of 1,2,4-triazole. Both complexes showed antimicrobial activity when tested against both Gram-negative and Gram-positive bacterial strains.

Proteomics and proteomic modulations of breast cancer cells

Decorin transfection induces proteomic and phenotypic modulation in breast cancer cells 8701-BC

Decorin is a prototype member of the small leucine-rich proteoglycan family widely distributed in the extracellular matrices of many connective tissues, where it has been shown to play multiple important roles in the matrix assembly process, as well as in some cellular activities. A major interest for decorin function concerns its role in tumorigenesis, as growth-inhibitor of different neoplastic cells, and potential antimetastatic agent. The aim of our research was to investigate wide-ranged effects of transgenic decorin on breast cancer cells. To this purpose we utilized the well-characterized 8701-BC cell line, isolated from a ductal infiltrating carcinoma of the breast, and two derived …

DIFFERENTIAL PROTEOMIC ANALYSIS OF THYROID CARCINOMA CELL LlNES

New insights of epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT) signature in breast cancer

Graphene Oxide Carboxymethylcellulose Nanocomposite for Dressing Materials.

Sore, infected wounds are a major clinical issue, and there is thus an urgent need for novel biomaterials as multifunctional constituents for dressings. A set of biocomposites was prepared by solvent casting using different concentrations of carboxymethylcellulose (CMC) and exfoliated graphene oxide (Exf-GO) as a filler. Exf-GO was first obtained by the strong oxidation and exfoliation of graphite. The structural, morphological and mechanical properties of the composites (CMCx/Exf-GO) were evaluated, and the obtained composites were homogenous, transparent and brownish in color. The results confirmed that Exf-GO may be homogeneously dispersed in CMC. It was found that the composite has an i…

Herceptin-resistance in breast cancer cells: a proteomic study.

HER-2 is a cell membrane protein that belongs to the ErbB family of receptor tyrosine kinases (HER-1, HER-2, HER-3, HER-4). The over-expression of HER-2, which results in the 25-30% of breast cancer patients, is considered a predictive and prognostic marker for breast cancer malignancy and invasiveness and makes HER-2 an excellent therapeutic target. In the last years new therapeutic strategies have been improved in order to better deal tumor diseases an to minimize collateral effects due to classic chemotherapy in patients. In this way, a new approach was the somministration of humanized antibodies directed against tumor-associated molecular targets. Among these ones Herceptin, an anti-neo…

Proteomic detection of S100 proteins in breastcancer tissues

An In Vitro Model of Glioma Development

Gliomas are the prevalent forms of brain cancer and derive from glial cells. Among them, astrocytomas are the most frequent. Astrocytes are fundamental for most brain functions, as they contribute to neuronal metabolism and neurotransmission. When they acquire cancer properties, their functions are altered, and, in addition, they start invading the brain parenchyma. Thus, a better knowledge of transformed astrocyte molecular properties is essential. With this aim, we previously developed rat astrocyte clones with increasing cancer properties. In this study, we used proteomic analysis to compare the most transformed clone (A-FC6) with normal primary astrocytes. We found that 154 proteins are…

Urinary Proteomic Profile Of A Multiple Myeloma Affected Patient

New insight on genomic and proteomic profiling of decorin-transfected breast cancer cells.

LARGE-SCALE SCREENING OF MATRIX METALLOPROTEINASES IN BREAST CANCER PATIENTS AND CLINICAL-MOLECULAR CORRELATIONS

Cytoskeleton and Proteomic Changes Induced by Fibroblasts on Breast Cancer Cells

S100PROTEINS IN BREAST CANCER: MULTIOMICS-BASED ANALYSIS

S100 gene family is the largest subfamily of calcium binding proteins, expressed in tissue and cell-specific manner. Within cells, S100 have been involved in the regulation of proliferation, differentiation, apoptosis, energy metabolism, inflammation, migration and invasion. Extracellular S100 proteins act in an autocrine and paracrine manner and regulate cell proliferation, differentiation, survival and migration. S100 proteins play important roles in the development and progression of tumors due to their multifunctional roles. However, the occurrence, the role and the possible coordination of this group of proteins in breast cancer is still poorly known. We previously describe a large-sca…

Herceptin-resistance in breast cancer cells: a proteomic approach

Proteomic profile of hypoxic breast cancer cells

Large-scale comparative proteomics of breast surgical tissues

IDENTIFICATION OF TYPE V COLLAGEN-BINDING PROTEINS IN 8701-BC BREAST CANCER CELLS

Proteomica comparata di un frammento chirurgico di carcinoma del colon e della metastasi epatica associata

Vanadium induces calcium depletion and cell selective apoptosis during development of sea urchin embryos

Vanadium (V) is a metal widely distributed in soil, water and air. It has recently received growing interest because its compounds are often used in different applications, from industry to medicine.1 Here, using atomic absorption spectrometry, we demonstrate the predisposition of V to accumulate directly into embryonic cells, interfering with Ca uptake. At the morphological level, we observed dose- and time-dependent effects on phenotypes and on skeletal malformations. At the molecular level, V-exposed embryos showed the activation of the cellular stress response, inducing Hsp 60 and Hsp 70 synthesis and the activation of autophagy and apoptosis. The Hsps-mediated stress response to V appe…

Circulating levels of Matrix Metalloproteinases (MMP-2 and MMP-9), CRP and IL-6 during therapeutic treatment of patients with breast cancer

PHENOTYPIC PROFILING OF OSTEOTROPIC BREAST CANCER CELLS

One of the preferred locations of metastases from breast cancer is the bone tissue. On the other hand, it should be recalled that mammary tumors with equal clinical diagnosis have a different course, and also different metastatic progression. Therefore, it would be helpful to have appropriate markers of osteotropism to test on the surgical cancer tissues, in order to predict the possible propensity of the breast cancer to generate bone metastases and to adequate the therapeutic plan. We previously reported1,2 on the setting-up of an in vitro model for the study of the osteotropic propensity of breast cancer cells and the influences exerted by the bone microenvironment on the cancer cells ph…

Zymographic Analysis of Matrix Metalloproteinases (MMP-2 and MMP-9) in Cerebrospinal Fluid and Sera from Patients with Multiple Sclerosis

Proteomic profiling of 13 paired ductal infiltrating breast carcinomas and non-tumoral adjacent counterparts.

According to recent statistics, breast cancer remains one of the leading causes of death among women in Western countries. Breast cancer is a complex and heterogeneous disease, presently classified into several subtypes according to their cellular origin. Among breast cancer histotypes, infiltrating ductal carcinoma represents the most common and potentially aggressive form. Despite the current progress achieved in early cancer detection and treatment, including the new generation of molecular therapies, there is still need for identification of multiparametric biomarkers capable of discriminating between cancer subtypes and predicting cancer progression for personalized therapies. One esta…

Mesenchymal and Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells-Derived Extracellular Vesicles: The New Frontier for Regenerative Medicine?

Regenerative medicine aims to repair damaged, tissues or organs for the treatment of various diseases, which have been poorly managed with conventional drugs and medical procedures. To date, multimodal regenerative methods include transplant of healthy organs, tissues, or cells, body stimulation to activate a self-healing response in damaged tissues, as well as the combined use of cells and bio-degradable scaffold to obtain functional tissues. Certainly, stem cells are promising tools in regenerative medicine due to their ability to induce de novo tissue formation and/or promote organ repair and regeneration. Currently, several studies have shown that the beneficial stem cell effects, espec…

S-100 calcium binding proteins as potential markers for breast cancer metastasis.

The S-100 family of calcium-binding proteins includes about 20 members of low molecular weight characterized by two consecutive EF hands domains. They make interactions with cellular target proteins in a calcium-dependent manner; therefore they are thought to regulate a variety of physiological functions, such as cell proliferation, signal transduction, cell adhesion, motility as well as cancer metastasis.

Dip Pen Lithography of oligonucleotides on flexible substrates for point-of-care malaria disease testing

The first step for prevention and treatment of diseases is the accurate diagnosis. However, proper diagnostic technologies are not available in developing countries due to the lack of reliable electrical power, refrigeration and trained personnel. For this reason, there is an urgent need of low cost, rapid assays not requiring any external support. By coupling such technologies to communication infrastructures, healthcare in areas without access to medical personnel would be possible. “Paper” like substrates are ideal for fabricating such devices since they are cheap, easy to degradate after use and compatible with most of existing printing technologies [1]. We had previously shown the poss…

Comparative Proteomics of Surgical Fragments of Colorectal Cancer with Non-tumoral Mucosa and Associated Liver Metastasis

Permissive and restrictive influences from breast cancer stroma

The turn-over of extracellular matrix is a physiological process, that in normal conditions and in wound healing respond to spatial and temporal regulatory mechanisms, involving several cell-matrix interaction pathways. Profound changes occur both at cellular and extracellular level, during the progression of various forms of invasive carcinomas. Collagen alterations and cellular effects. The ultrastructural and biochemical analyses of the collagenous stroma of invasive ductal breast carcinoma have demonstrated the occurrence of extensive fragmentation of pre-existing collagen fibrils and new deposition of thinner fibrils formed mostly by 1(I)3 homotrimer collagen of type I [1-3], which app…

PROTEOMIC MODULATION IN BREAST CANCER CELLS INDUCED BY MICROENVIRONMENT COMPONENTS

Differential protein expression in cytokine-sensitive and -resistant pancreatic beta cell lines

DNA-based biosensor on flexible nylon substrate by dip-pen lithography for topoisomerase detection

Dip-pen lithography (DPL) technique has been employed to develop a new flexible biosensor realized on nylon with the aim to detect the activity of human topoisomerase. The sensor is constituted by an ordered array of a DNA substrate on flexible nylon supports that can be exploited as a drug screening platform for anticancer molecules. Here, we demonstrate a rapid protocol that permits to immobilize minute quantities of DNA oligonucleotides by DPL on nylon surfaces. Theoretical and experimental aspects have been investigated to successfully print DNA oligonucleotides by DPL on such a porous and irregular substrate.

PROCEEDINGS XXX SISC MEETING

Different collagen substrates induce the expression of alternative forms of keratins and vimentin in breast cancer cells.

Anti-Inflammatory Action of Heterogeneous Nuclear Ribonucleoprotein A2/B1 in Patients with Autoimmune Endocrine Disorders

Our previous studies documented that human fibroblast-limbal stem cells (f-LSCs) possess immunosuppressive capabilities, playing a role in regulating T-cell activity. This study highlights the molecular activities by which human f-LSCs can attenuate the inflammatory responses of self-reactive peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) collected from patients with autoimmune endocrine diseases (AEDs). Anti-CD3 activated PBMCs from twenty healthy donors and fifty-two patients with AEDs were cocultured on f-LSC monolayer. 2D-DIGE proteomic experiments, mass spectrometry sequencing and functional in vitro assays were assessed in cocultured PBMCs. We identified the downmodulation of several huma…

PRINTING NANOBIOLOGY IN AQUEOUS SYSTEMS

Our studies in the field of printing nanobiology in aqueous solution are proposed to highlight the role of water in the processes of interaction between biomolecules in drug- screening devices fabricated by bioprinting technologies and to emphasize the influence of water evaporation on the diffusion of molecules in droplets of picoliter-scale.

Integrated multi-omics investigations of metalloproteinases in colon cancer: Focus on MMP2 and MMP9

Colorectal cancer (CRC) develops by genetic and epigenetic alterations. However, the molecular mechanisms underlying metastatic dissemination remain unclear and could benefit from multi-omics investigations of specific protein families. Matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) are proteolytic enzymes involved in ECM remodeling and the processing of bioactive molecules. Increased MMP expression promotes the hallmarks of tumor progression, including angiogenesis, invasion, and metastasis, and is correlated with a shortened survival. Nevertheless, the collective role and the possible coordination of MMP members in CRC are poorly investigated. Here, we performed a multi-omics analysis of MMP expression…

AUTOANTIBODIES IDENTIFICATION IN BREAST CANCER SERA BY PROTEOMIC APPROACH

Cytoskeleton modulation of breast cancer cells induced by stromal components: a proteomic study.

Expanding the protein catalogue in the proteome reference map of human breast cancer cells

In this report we present a catalogue of 162 proteins (including isoforms and variants) identified in a prototype of proteomic map of breast cancer cells. This work represents the prosecution of previous studies describing the protein complement of breast cancer cells of the line 8701-BC, which has been well characterized for several parameters, providing to be a useful model for the study of breast cancer-associated candidate biomarkers. In particular, 110 spots were identified ex novo by PMF, or validated following previous gel matching identification method; 30 were identified by N-terminal microsequencing and the remaining by gel matching with maps available from our former work. As a c…

PROTEOMIC SIGNATURE OF HUMAN PRIMARY METASTATIC COLON CANCER AND ITS METASTASES TO LIVER

EFFETTI DEL TRASTUZUMAB SUL PROTEOMA DI CELLULE DI CARCINOMA MAMMARIO OVER-ESPRIMENTI HER-2

Matrix metalloproteases monitoring during neoadjuvant breast cancer therapy. An ongoing study.

Fibroblasts enhance proliferation and invasion of Breast Cancer Cells (8701-BC)

Identificazione di forme multiple di cheratine 8, 18 e vimentina espresse da cellule di carcinoma mammario coltivate su differenti substrati collagene

A combined determination of circulating gelatinases and inflammatory markers in breast cancer patients during therapeutic treatment

COMPARATIVE PROFILING BY PROTEOMICS AND ZYMOGRAPHIC ACTIVITIES OF TUMORAL AND NON TUMORAL CELL LINES

The extracellular matrix (ECM) underlying epithelial tissues is involved in the maintenance of cell polarity and homeostasis. ECM is a dynamic structure under the regulated remodeling of its components. The major enzymes responsible of matrix degradation are the matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs), a well known family of zinc-dependent endopeptidases. Much attention has been focused on MMP-2 and MMP-9 because of their ability to degrade type IV collagen, a major constituent of basement membranes. A deregulated proteolysis of ECM molecules may cause the alteration of cell polarity and may contribute to the disruption of cell–cell and cell–ECM adhesions, promoting cancer progression. These alter…

Proteomic discovery of new differentiation markers in the U937 cell line

Identification of multiple forms of keratins expressed by brest cancer cells coltured on different collagen substrates.

A contribution to breast cancer cell proteomics: detection of new sequences

Ductal infiltrating carcinoma (DIC) of the breast is the most common and potentially aggressive form of cancer. Knowledge of proteomic profiles, attained both in vivo and in vitro, is fundamental to acquire as much information as possible on the proteins expressed in these pathologic conditions. We used the breast cancer cell line 8701-BC, established from a primary DIC, with the aim of contributing to the databases on mammary cancer cells, which in turn will be very useful for the identification of differentially expressed proteins in normal and neoplastic cells. Within an analysis window comprising about 1750 discernible spots, we have at present catalogued 84 protein spots. The proteins …

The challenge of tumor microenvironment

Multiple changes induced by fibroblasts on breast cancer cells.

It is now widely recognised that the cross-talk between cancer and stromal cells may play a crucial role in cancer progression. However little is known about the complex underlying molecular mechanisms that occur within the tumor microenvironment. Fibroblasts are the major stromal cells with multiple roles, especially towards both the extracellular matrix and the neighbouring cell population, including neoplastic cells. Consequently, proteomic analyses would provide a wider resource for a better understanding of the potential modulating effects exerted by fibroblasts on cancer cells. In this report we describe the effects of fibroblast stimulation on the breast cancer cell line (8701-BC) pr…