Transforming growth factor-β transiently induces vimentin expression and invasive capacity in a canine mammary gland tumor cell line

• DOI: 10.1016/j.rvsc.2012.10.016
• Publication Date: 2012-11-23T11:31:21Z
• Authors: K. Yoshida; T. Saito; A. Kamida; K. Matsumoto; K. Saeki; M. Mochizuki; N. Sasaki; T. Nakagawa
• Keywords: Mammary tumor; Slug

The epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) is a crucial event that occurs during cancer metastasis and can be induced by transforming growth factor-β (TGF-β) in various tumor cells in vitro. However, little is known about the effects of TGF-β in canine mammary gland tumors (CMGTs). Here, we investigated the role of TGF-β in CMGT. We observed that treatment of the CMGT cell line CHMp13a with TGF-β1 leads to transient induction of the mesenchymal marker vimentin. Real-time measurements of cellular electrical impedance also showed that CMGT invasiveness is transiently increased by TGF-β1 treatment, but is reversed after prolonged stimulation. This phenomenon is similar to the mesenchymal-epithelial transition (MET, the reverse phenomenon of EMT), and a process that is implicated in the establishment of secondary metastatic lesions.