Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Modulation of human breast cancer cell adhesion by estrogens and antiestrogens

  • Published:
Clinical & Experimental Metastasis Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

In order to study the effect of estrogens and antiestrogens on the adhesive properties of human breast cancer cells, the attachment on endothelial cells (EC), on subendothelial extracellular matrix (ECM) and on ECM components (collagen I and IV, laminin, fibronectin) of estrogen-dependent (MCF-7, ZR75-1) and estrogen-independent (BT-20) breast cancer cell lines was investigated. The cells were grown under conditions of controlled exposure to estrogen [17β-estradiol (E2)] and/or antiestrogens [tamoxifen (Tam) or 4-hydroxytamoxifen (OH-Tam]. Treatment by E2 enhanced the ability of ZR75-1 cells to adhere to the various substrates, which contrasts with the observed absence of effects with the BT-20 cells. Similarly, Tarn or OH-Tam induced a reduction of the adhesion of ZR75-1 tumor cell, but not of BT-20 cells. This effect was reversed by competing concentrations of E2. The effects on MCF-7 cell adhesion were similar to those described for ZR75-1 cells, but could not be reproducibly observed. Adhesion assays carried out with ZR75-1 cells grown in the absence or presence of phenol red, a pH indicator which behaves as a weak estrogen, led to a similar pattern of cell attachment. Conditioned media harvested from E2-or Tamtreated ZR75-1 cells failed to induce any effect on adhesion of other ZR75-1 cells grown in E2-deprived medium, suggesting that secretory activities are not required for the control of cell adhesiveness. The results suggest that estrogens and antiestrogens can control the adhesive behavior of breast tumor cells through their hormone responsive structures possibly by regulating expression of cell adhesion proteins and/or their cell surface receptors.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Abecassis, J., Millon-Collard, R., Klein-Soyer, C., Nicora, F., Fricker, J.-P., Beretz, A., Eber, M., Muller, D., andCazenave, J.-P., 1987, Adhesion of human breast cancer cell line MCF-7 to human vascular endothelial cells in culture. Enhancement by activated platelets.International Journal of Cancer,40, 525–531.

    Google Scholar 

  2. Albini, A., Graf, J., Kitten, G. T., Kleinmann, H. K., Martin, G. R., Veillette, A., andLippman, M. E., 1986, 17β-Estradiol regulates and v-Ha-ras transfection constitutively enhances MCF-7 breast cancer cell interactions with basement membrane.Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the U.S.A.,83, 8182–8186.

    Google Scholar 

  3. Bardon, S., Vignon, F., Montcourrier, P., andRochefort, H., 1987, Steroid receptor-mediated cytotoxicity of an antiestrogen and an antiprogestin in breast cancer cells.Cancer Research,47, 1441–1448.

    Google Scholar 

  4. Berthois, Y., Katzenellenbogen, J. A., andKatzenellenbogen, B. S., 1986, Phenol red in tissue culture media is a weak estrogen: implications concerning the study of estrogen-responsive cells in culture.Cell Biology,83, 2496–2500.

    Google Scholar 

  5. Butler, W. B., Kirkland, W. L., Gargala, T. L., Goran, N., Kelsey, W. H., andBerlinski, P. J., 1983, Steroid stimulation of plasminogen activator production in a human breast cancer cell line (MCF-7).Cancer Research,43, 1637–1641.

    Google Scholar 

  6. Conower, W. J., 1980,Practical Non-parametric Statistics (New York: Wiley), p. 299.

    Google Scholar 

  7. Coezy, E., Borgna, J.L., andRochefort, H., 1982, Tamoxifen and metabolites in MCF-7 cells: correlation between binding to estrogen receptor and inhibition of cell growth.Cancer Research,42, 317–323.

    Google Scholar 

  8. Dickson, R. B., andLippman, M. E., 1987, Estrogenic regulation of growth and polypeptide growth factor secretion in human breast carcinoma.Endocrine Reviews,8, 29–43.

    Google Scholar 

  9. Franceschi, R. T., Linson, C. J., Peter, T. C., andRomano, P. R., 1987, Regulation of cellular adhesion and fibronectin synthesis by 1α,25-dihydroxyvitamin D3.Journal of Biological Chemistry,262, 4165–4171.

    Google Scholar 

  10. Furcht, L. T., Mosher, D. F., Wendelschafer-Crabb, G., Woodbridge, P. A., andFoidart, J. M., 1979, Dexamethasone-induced accumulation of a fibronectin and collagen extracellular matrix in transformed human cells.Nature (London),277, 393–395.

    Google Scholar 

  11. Grover, A., andAdamson, E. D., 1985, Roles of extravellular matrix components in differentiating teratocarcinoma cells.Journal of Biological Chemistry,260, 12252–12258.

    Google Scholar 

  12. Ignotz, R. A., Endo, T., andMassague, J., 1987, Regulation of fibronectin and type I collagen mRNA levels by transforming growth factor-beta.Journal of Biological Chemistry,262, 6443–6446.

    Google Scholar 

  13. Ignotz, R. A., andMassague, J., 1987, Cell adhesion protein receptors as targets for transforming growth factor-beta action.Cell,51, 189–197.

    Google Scholar 

  14. Kao, R. T., andStern, R., 1986, Collagenases in human breast carcinoma cell lines.Cancer Research,46, 1349–1354.

    Google Scholar 

  15. Kato, S., andDe Luca, L. M., 1987, Retinoic acid modulates attachment of mouse fibroblasts to laminin substrates.Experimental Cell Research,173, 450–462.

    Google Scholar 

  16. Klein-Soyer, C., Stierle, A., Bouderbala, B., andCazenave, J.-P., 1984, Effects of an extract of human brain containing growth factor activity on the proliferation of human vascular endothelial cells in primary culture.Biology of the Cell,52, 9–20.

    Google Scholar 

  17. Liotta, L. A., 1984, Tumor invasion and metastases: role of basement membranes.American Journal of Pathology,117, 337–348.

    Google Scholar 

  18. Liotta, L. A., Rao, C. N., andWewer, U. M., 1986, Biochemical interactions of tumor cells with the basement membrane.Annual Review of Biochemistry,55, 1037–1057.

    Google Scholar 

  19. Morisset, M., Capony, F., andRochefort, H., 1986, The 52-kDa estrogen-induced protein secreted by MCF-7 cells is a lysosomal acidic protease.Biochemical and Biophysical Research Communications,138, 102–109.

    Google Scholar 

  20. Osborne, C. K., Hobbs, K., andClark, G. M., 1985, Effect of estrogens and antiestrogens on growth of human breast cancer cells in athymic nude mice.Cancer Research,45, 584–590.

    Google Scholar 

  21. Osborne, C. K., Hobbs, K., andTrent, J. M., 1987, Biological differences among MCF-7 human breast cancer cell lines from different laboratories.Breast Cancer Research and Treatment,9, 111–121.

    Google Scholar 

  22. Pourreau-Schneider, N., Martin, P. M., Charpin, C., Jacquemier, J., Saez, S., andNandi, S., 1984, How culture conditions modulate the morphofunctional differentiation of the human estradiol-sensitive mammary cell line (MCF-7).Journal of Steroid Biochemistry,20, 407–415.

    Google Scholar 

  23. Sapino, A., Pietribiasi, F., Bussolati, G., andMarchisio, P. C., 1986, Estrogen- and tamoxifen-induced rearrangement of cytoskeletal and adhesion structures in breast cancer MCF-7 cells.Cancer Research,46, 2526–2531.

    Google Scholar 

  24. Shafie, S. M., andLiotta, L. A., 1980, Formation of metastasis by human breast carcinoma cells (MCF-7) in nude mice.Cancer Letters,11, 81–87.

    Google Scholar 

  25. Sutherland, R. L., Reddel, R. R., andGreen, M. D., 1983, Effects of oestrogens on cell proliferation and cell cycle kinetics. A hypothesis on the cell cycle effects of antioestrogens.European Journal of Cancer and Clinical Oncology,19, 307–318.

    Google Scholar 

  26. Terranova, V. P., Hujanen, E. S., andMartin, G. R., 1986, Basement membrane and the invasive activity of metastatic tumor cells.Journal of the National Cancer Institute,77, 311–316.

    Google Scholar 

  27. Thorne, H. J., Jose, D. G., Zhang, H.-Y., Dempsey, P. J., andWhitehead, R. H., 1987, Epidermal growth factor stimulates the synthesis of cell-attachment proteins in the human breast cancer cell line PMC42.International Journal of Cancer,40, 207–212.

    Google Scholar 

  28. Vic, P., Vignon, F., Deroco, D., andRochefort, H., 1982, Effect of estradiol on the ultrastructure of the MCF-7 human breast cancer cells in culture.Cancer Research,42, 667–673.

    Google Scholar 

  29. Vignon, F., Bouton, M.-M., andRochefort, H., 1987, Antiestrogens inhibit the mitogenic effect of growth factors on breast cancer cells in the total absence of estrogens.Biochemical and Biophysical Research Communications,146, 1502–1508.

    Google Scholar 

  30. Westley, B. R., andMay, F. E.B., 1987, Oestrogen regulates cathepsin D mRNA levels in oestrogen responsive human breast cancer cells.Nucleic Acids Research,15, 3773–3786.

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Centre Régional de Lutte contre le Cancer Paul Strauss, 3 rue de la Porte del'Hôpital, 67085, Strasbourg Cédex, France

    Régine Millon, Francesca Nicora, Daniele Muller, Michel Eber & Joseph Abecassis

  2. Biologie et Pharmacologie des Interactions du Sang avecles Vaisseaux et les Biomatériaux, Centre Régional de Transfusion Sanguine, INSERM U.311, 10 rue Spielmann, 67085, Strasbourg Cédex, France

    Claude Klein-Soyer

Authors
  1. Régine Millon
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Francesca Nicora
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Daniele Muller
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Michel Eber
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. Claude Klein-Soyer
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  6. Joseph Abecassis
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Millon, R., Nicora, F., Muller, D. et al. Modulation of human breast cancer cell adhesion by estrogens and antiestrogens. Clin Exp Metast 7, 405–415 (1989). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01753661

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01753661

Keywords

Search

Navigation