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Updated: Aug 15, 2026

Time-lapse Imaging of Primary Preneoplastic Mammary Epithelial Cells Derived from Genetically Engineered Mouse Models of Breast Cancer
Published on: February 8, 2013
MUC1 expression in human breast cancer cells is altered by the factors affecting cell proliferation
H Porowska1, A Paszkiewicz-Gadek, S Wołczyński
1Department of Medical Chemistry, Medical Academy, Bialystok, Poland. zachemog@amb.edu.pl
Abstract:
Increased expression of the epithelial mucin MUC1 has been linked to tumor aggressiveness in human breast carcinoma. In the present study, we have investigated if the factors affecting cells proliferation could influence MUC1 mucin biosynthesis and shedding from cell surface into the culture medium in two human breast cancer cell lines: MCF-7 (ER+) and MDA-MB-231 (ER-). Using MCF-7 line we found that estradiol at a concentration of 10(-7) M increased [3H]glucosamine incorporation into mucin in cell lysate approximately twofold in comparison with control cultures, and a similar increase was observed in the culture medium. The selective estrogen receptor modulator, tamoxifen (at concentrations of 10(-6) M and 10(-5) M) had a little inhibitory effect. MDA-MB-231 cells in culture were stimulated with phorbol ester PMA, the protein kinase C activator. We noted that PMA greatly stimulated MUC1 synthesis and its shedding to culture medium and that this effect was abolished by protein kinase C specific inhibitor--bisindolylmaleimide.
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