Co-stimulation of human breast cancer cells with transforming growth factor-β and tenascin-C enhances matrix metalloproteinase-9 expression and cancer cell invasion

Transforming growth factor-β (TGF-β), tenascin-C (TN-C) and matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) have been demonstrated independently to be associated with disease progression and poor prognosis in patients with breast cancer. The present study explored effects of TGF-β and TN-C on MMP-9 expression and cancer invasion. An experimental study was designed to analyse MDA-MB-231 breast cancer cells, known for their high invasiveness, after stimulation with TGF-β1 and/or TN-C. TGF-β1 stimulated TN-C expression in the cells. Co-stimulation of MDA-MB-231 cells with TN-C and TGF-β increased MMP-9 expression at both the gene (28-fold) and the protein levels. The in vitro invasion also increased (4-fold). GM6001 inhibited the invasion induced by the co-stimulation. The combined effect of TN-C and TGF-β resulted in enhanced MMP-9 expression and cancer invasion in vitro.