In Vivo Study of C1q-like Protein 4 on Invasion and Metastasis of Breast Cancer
10.3870/j.issn.1672-0741.24.04.025
- VernacularTitle:C1q样蛋白4对乳腺癌侵袭及转移影响的体内研究
- Author:
Xiao LI
1
;
Bo ZHAO
1
;
Yan GUO
1
Author Information
1. 河北省承德医学院附属医院肿瘤科,承德 067000
- Publication Type:Journal Article
- Keywords:
breast cancer;
C q-like protein 4;
epithelial-mesenchymal transition;
stem cell characteristics
- From:
Acta Medicinae Universitatis Scientiae et Technologiae Huazhong
2025;54(2):203-210
- CountryChina
- Language:Chinese
-
Abstract:
Objective In vivo validation of the effects of C1q-like protein 4(C1ql4)on epithelial-mesenchymal transition(EMT)and stemness characteristics of breast cancer metastatic tissues in NOD/SCID mice.Methods Immunofluorescence-la-beled cell lines with stable low-expression and over-expression of C1ql4(MDA-MB-231,MCF-7)were constructed,and then in-jected intravenously into 4-week-old female NOD/SCID mice.The formation of metastatic tumors was detected by IVIS live ima-ging.Eight weeks after injection,the mice were euthanized,and lung tissues were fixed in paraffin.HE staining was performed to observe the number of metastatic foci,and immunohistochemistry(IHC)was used to detect the expression levels of CD4,SOX2,ER,Her-2 protein in tissue specimens.Total RNA and protein were extracted from fresh lung metastatic tumors,and the expression of EMT-related proteins and stem cell-related proteins were detect by qRT-PCR and Western blotting.Results The IVIS live imaging results showed that,compared with MDA-MB-231 group,the fluorescence intensity and density of tumors in the MDA-MB-231-sh group were significantly decreased(P＜0.05);compared with the MCF-7 group,the fluorescence intensity and density of tumors in the MCF-7-OE group were significantly increased(P＜0.05).HE staining and IHC results of mouse lung metastatic tissues showed that,compared with the MDA-MB-231 group,the number of lung metastatic foci in the MDA-MB-231-sh group was significantly reduced,and the expressions of CD44 and SOX2 were downregulated(all P＜0.05),with no significant changes in ER and Her-2 expression;whereas compared with the MCF-7 group,the number of lung metastatic foci in the MCF-7-OE group was significantly increased,and expressions of CD44 and SOX2 were upregulated(all P＜0.05),with no significant changes in ER and Her-2 expression.The expression levels of stemness-related proteins and interstitial markers of mouse lung metastatic tissues detected by qRT-PCR and Western blotting in the MDA-MB-231-sh group were significantly low-er than those in the MDA-MB-231 group(all P＜0.05),but the expression levels of epithelial markers were higher than those in the MDA-MB-231 group(P＜0.05);the expression levels of stemness-related proteins and interstitial markers in the MCF-7-OE group were significantly higher than those in the MCF-7 group(all P＜0.05),but the expression levels of epithelial markers were lower than those in the MCF-7 group(P＜0.05).Conclusion C1ql4 promotes the formation and progression of mouse breast cancer lung metastatic tumors by enhancing cancer cell stemness expression and EMT processes.
