Modeling breast cancer-associated c-Src and EGFR overexpression in human MECs: c-Src and EGFR cooperatively promote aberrant three-dimensional acinar structure and invasive behavior

Cancer Res. 2007 May 1;67(9):4164-72. doi: 10.1158/0008-5472.CAN-06-2580.

Abstract

Epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR), a member of the ErbB family of receptor tyrosine kinases, is overexpressed in as many as 60% cases of breast and other cancers. EGFR overexpression is a characteristic of highly aggressive molecular subtypes of breast cancer with basal-like and BRCA1 mutant phenotypes distinct from ErbB2-overexpressing breast cancers. Yet, EGFR is substantially weaker compared with ErbB2 in promoting the oncogenic transformation of nontumorigenic human mammary epithelial cells (human MEC), suggesting a role for cooperating oncogenes. Here, we have modeled the co-overexpression of EGFR and a biologically and clinically relevant potential modifier c-Src in two distinct immortal but nontumorigenic human MECs. Using a combination of morphologic analysis and confocal imaging of polarity markers in three-dimensional Matrigel culture together with functional analyses of early oncogenic traits, we show for the first time that EGFR and c-Src co-overexpression but not EGFR or c-Src overexpression alone unleashes an oncogenic signaling program that leads to hyperproliferation and loss of polarity in three-dimensional acinar cultures, marked enhancement of migratory and invasive behavior, and anchorage-independent growth. Our results establish that EGFR overexpression in an appropriate context (modeled here using c-Src overexpression) can initiate oncogenic transformation of nontumorigenic human MECs and provide a suitable in vitro model to interrogate human breast cancer-relevant oncogenic signaling pathways initiated by overexpressed EGFR and to identify modifiers of EGFR-mediated breast oncogenesis.

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
  • Research Support, U.S. Gov't, Non-P.H.S.

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Breast Neoplasms / enzymology*
  • Breast Neoplasms / pathology
  • CSK Tyrosine-Protein Kinase
  • Cell Adhesion / physiology
  • Cell Growth Processes / physiology
  • Cell Transformation, Neoplastic / metabolism*
  • Cell Transformation, Neoplastic / pathology
  • Collagen
  • Drug Combinations
  • Epithelial Cells / enzymology
  • Epithelial Cells / pathology
  • ErbB Receptors / biosynthesis*
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Laminin
  • Mice
  • Mice, Nude
  • Protein-Tyrosine Kinases / biosynthesis*
  • Proteoglycans
  • Tumor Cells, Cultured
  • src-Family Kinases

Substances

  • Drug Combinations
  • Laminin
  • Proteoglycans
  • matrigel
  • Collagen
  • ErbB Receptors
  • Protein-Tyrosine Kinases
  • CSK Tyrosine-Protein Kinase
  • src-Family Kinases
  • CSK protein, human