MMP1, MMP9, and COX2 Expressions in Promonocytes Are Induced by Breast Cancer Cells and Correlate with Collagen Degradation, Transformation-Like Morphological Changes in MCF-10A Acini, and Tumor Aggressiveness
Figure 2
Analysis of extracellular matrix degradation. Cells were cultured in a mix of Matrigel and fluorescently labeled collagen IV, and intensity of fluorescence was measured as an indication of ECM degradation promoted by secreted proteases. (a) Quantification of the release of fluorescence in individual cultures (3D) and in cocultures (CC) between either MCF-7 or MDA-MB-231 and U937 cells. The Bar with asterisk indicates a statistical significant difference (). (b–d) Representative images of fluorescence of collagen degradation (left panels), optical images of cells in culture (middle panels), and the merging of both images (right panels) of MCF-7 and U937 cocultures (b), MDA-MB-231 single 3D cultures (c), and MDA-MB-231 and U937 cocultures (d). (b–d): Optical magnification 200x.
