Background/aim: Epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) is a process co-opted by cancer cells to invade and form metastases. In the present study we analyzed gene expression profiles of primary breast cancer cells in culture in order to highlight genes related to EMT.
Materials and methods: Microarray expression analysis of primary cells isolated from a specimen of a patient with an infiltrating ductal carcinoma of the breast was performed. Real-Time Quantitative Reverse Transcription PCR (qRT-PCR) analyses validated microarray gene expression trends.
Results: Thirty-six candidate genes were selected and used to generate a molecular network displaying the tight relationship among them. The most significant Gene Ontology biological processes characterizing this network were involved in cell migration and motility.
Conclusion: Our data revealed the involvement of new genes which displayed tight relationships among them, suggesting a molecular network in which they could contribute to control of EMT in breast cancer. This study may offer a basis for understanding complex mechanisms which regulate breast cancer progression and for designing individualized anticancer therapies.
Keywords: Breast cancer; EMT; cDNA microarray; epithelial–mesenchymal transition; primary cell culture.