Fig. 1
From: Mutant p53s generate pro-invasive niches by influencing exosome podocalyxin levels
Mutant p53 promotes release of diffusible factors to foster tumour cell invasion in an organotypic microenvironment. Organotypic plugs were generated allowing acid-extracted rat tail collagen to polymerise in the presence of telomerase-immortalised human dermal fibroblasts (TIFs). Fibroblast-containing plugs were conditioned for 2 days to allow TIFs to deposit and remodel the ECM. Preconditioned plugs were overlaid with H1299-p53−/− (a) or H1299-p53R273H (b) cells and placed onto grids in independent Petri dishes containing culture medium. In c plugs which were overlaid with H1299-p53−/− were placed onto grids in the same Petri dish as those overlaid with H1299-p53R273H cells, thus allowing the possibility of exchange of diffusible factors between plugs. Tumour cells were allowed to invade for 10 days, followed by fixation and visualisation of tumour cells with H&E. The distance between each tumour cell and the top of the plug was determined and plotted in d. Bars are mean ± SEM, n = 8 plugs; *** p <0.001 Mann–Whitney test
