PMID: 7545689Jun 1, 1995Paper

Mammary epithelial cell differentiation in vitro is regulated by an interplay of EGF action and tenascin-C downregulation

Journal of Cell Science
G WirlR Fässler

Abstract

Expression of the extracellular matrix glycoprotein tenascin-C in the mammary gland is associated with cellular proliferation and cell motility during organogenesis and tumorigenesis. Because the source and the regulation of tenascin-C in these tissues are unclear, we have used tenascin-C cDNA, FITC-immunofluorescence and immuno-precipitation to examine tenascin-C expression of mammary epithelial cells. Using several mammary epithelial cell lines we could show that tenascin-C can be produced and secreted by epithelial cells. However it was found that tenascin-C synthesis was inversely correlated with the polarized epithelial phenotype. Among three mouse mammary epithelial cell clones, tenascin-C expression was most abundant in HC-11 cells, the least differentiated cell type. Expression levels were high during the growth phase but were nearly abolished when cells were grown to confluence and induced to express milk proteins. Downregulation of tenascin-C by EGF apparently commits HC-11 cells to respond to lactogenic hormones and consequently, hormone induced levels of beta-casein mRNA decreased significantly when HC-11 cells were grown on a tenascin-C substrate. On the other hand, TGF-beta, another growth factor involved in coord...Continue Reading

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