Fig. 3 | Signal Transduction and Targeted Therapy

Fig. 3

From: Extracellular matrix-derived mechanical force governs breast cancer cell stemness and quiescence transition through integrin-DDR signaling

Fig. 3

Integrin-cytoskeleton-AIRE signals are crucial for stemness gene upregulation. a Volcano plots showing the differentially expressed genes in 4T1 cells cultured in a flask and 3D Matrigel for 3 days. b Heatmap of top 15 upregulated genes in 3D Matrigel-cultured 4T1 cells in comparison with that of cells cultured in a flask. c Western blotting for AIRE in MCF-7, 4T1 and MDA-MB-231 cells cultured in a flask or 3D Matrigel (treated with PBS, integrin β1/3-neutralizing antibodies, or 5a-Pregnane-3,20-dione). d Western blotting for AIRE in MCF-7 cells cultured in a flask or 3D collagen/fibrinogen gels for 3 days. e AIRE expression at the mRNA level in 3D Matrigel-cultured MCF-7/4T1/MDA-MB-231 cells, treated with scramble or AIRE siRNA. f, g in vitro colony formation potential (f) and in vivo tumor formation (n = 10)(g) potential of 3D Matrigel-cultured MCF-7/4T1/MDA-MB-231 cells treated with scramble or AIRE siRNA. h Heatmap of stemness-associated gene (SOX2, c-Myc, Nanog, POU5F1, Notch3, Notc4, Tert, CD133, Wnt2, YAP1, AKT1, and ALDH1) expression in 3D Matrigel cultured MCF-7 cells treated with scramble or AIRE siRNA. i ALDH1+ cell subpopulations were determined in MCF-7 cells (3D Matrigel culture) treated with scramble or AIRE siRNA. j Schematic representation of the integrin-cytoskeleton-AIRE signals in breast cancer cells. Three independent experiments were performed. Data are represented as mean ± SEM. P < 0.05, statistical significance

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