Amphiregulin mediates self-renewal in an immortal mammary epithelial cell line with stem cell characteristics

Journal Article · Mon Feb 01 00:00:00 EST 2010 · Experimental Cell Research

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1016/J.YEXCR.2009.11.006· OSTI ID:22209858

Boulanger, Corinne A.; Anderson, Lisa H. ^[1]; Jimenez-Rojo, Lucia; Brisken, Cathrin ^[2]

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1. Mammary Biology and Tumorigenesis Laboratory, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892 (United States)
2. Ecole polytechnique federale de Lausanne (EPFL), ISREC-Swiss Institute for Experimental Research, NCCR Molecular Oncology, SV.832 Station 19 CH-1015, Lausanne (Switzerland)

Amphiregulin (AREG), a ligand for epidermal growth factor receptor, is required for mammary gland ductal morphogenesis and mediates estrogen actions in vivo, emerging as an essential growth factor during mammary gland growth and differentiation. The COMMA-D {beta}-geo (CD{beta}geo) mouse mammary cell line displays characteristics of normal mammary progenitor cells including the ability to regenerate a mammary gland when transplanted into the cleared fat pad of a juvenile mouse, nuclear label retention, and the capacity to form anchorage-independent mammospheres. We demonstrate that AREG is essential for formation of floating mammospheres by CD{beta}geo cells and that the mitogen activated protein kinase signaling pathway is involved in AREG-mediated mammosphere formation. Addition of exogenous AREG promotes mammosphere formation in cells where AREG expression is knocked down by siRNA and mammosphere formation by AREG{sup -/-} mammary epithelial cells. AREG knockdown inhibits mammosphere formation by duct-limited mammary progenitor cells but not lobule-limited mammary progenitor cells. These data demonstrate AREG mediates the function of a subset of mammary progenitor cells in vitro.

• OSTI ID: 22209858
• Journal Information: Experimental Cell Research, Vol. 316, Issue 3; Other Information: Copyright (c) 2009 Elsevier Science B.V., Amsterdam, The Netherlands, All rights reserved.; Country of input: International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA); ISSN 0014-4827
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

60 APPLIED LIFE SCIENCES
BUDR
ESTROGENS
GROWTH FACTORS
IN VITRO
IN VIVO
MAMMARY GLANDS
MICE
MORPHOGENESIS
RECEPTORS
STEM CELLS