The triple-negative breast tumor border is well-documented as a striated boundary, with linear ECM leading away from the tumor body. While it is known that linear collagen is pro-oncogenic, there is no explanation available on its formation. This thesis will focus on understanding and filling this knowledge gap. A tumor border is simulated in vitro by co-culturing fibroblasts, adipose derived stem cells, and MDA-MB-231 cells. Decellularization after one week reveals a linear extracellular matrix made chiefly of collagen type VI, which enhances invasion of reseeded cells. Further investigation shows that a juxtacrine culture of adipose derived stem cells and MDA-MB-231 creates high levels of CCL5, to which the fibroblasts react by producing pro-oncogenic, linear collagen VI. Inhibiting CCL5 within the co-culture results in an extracellular matrix which contains significantly less collagen VI, and is unorganized. Congruently, invasion of reseeded cells is not enhanced. In conclusion, these data represent an unreported axis between cell types of triple negative breast cancer. Specifically, cancer-derived CCL5 acts on fibroblasts in a paracrine manner, which stimulates production of linearized collagen.
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The triple-negative breast tumor border is well-documented as a striated boundary, with linear ECM leading away from the tumor body. While it is known that linear collagen is pro-oncogenic, there is no explanation available on its formation. This thesis will focus on understanding and filling this knowledge gap. A tumor border is simulated in vitro by co-culturing fibroblasts, adipose derived stem cells, and MDA-MB-231 cells. Decellularization after one week reveals a linear extracellular matrix...
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