Poster #: 098
Mammospheres with Adipocytes Increase Aggressive Breast Cancer
Mentors: Shehla Pervin, PhD; PI: Shehla Pervin, PhD
Triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) is an aggressive subtype lacking estrogen, progesterone, and HER2 receptors. Mammary cancer stem cells (MCSCs) drive tumor growth, spread, and therapy resistance. Fat cells (adipocytes) in the tumor environment release signals that may trigger epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT), increasing cancer cell mobility and invasiveness. This study examined whether E-cadherin is affected by co-culturing mammospheres with differentiated adipocytes. HCC1806 breast cancer cells were grown in RPMI 1640 with 10% fetal bovine serum (FBS), and mammospheres formed on low attachment plates in DMEM with human insulin. 3T3L1 preadipocytes were cultured and differentiated with IBMX for 72 hours. Western blot showed E-cadherin was high in mammospheres alone but much lower when co-cultured with adipocytes. Slug and active ERK (pERK1/2), linked to EMT and cell movement, were increased in co-cultured cells. Total ERK remained constant, confirming equal loading. These results suggest adipocytes promote EMT-like changes, enhancing TNBC aggressiveness.