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Updated: Aug 24, 2026

Studying TGF-β Signaling and TGF-β-induced Epithelial-to-mesenchymal Transition in Breast Cancer and Normal Cells
Published on: October 27, 2020
Expression and motogenic activity of TFF2 in human breast cancer cells
Felicity E B May1, Jennifer I Semple, Sara J Prest
1Department of Pathology, School of Clinical and Laboratory Sciences, University of Newcastle-upon-Tyne, Royal Victoria Infirmary, NE1 4LP, UK. f.e.b.may@ncl.ac.uk
Abstract:
The expression of TFF2 in breast cancer cells and the effect of recombinant TFF2 on breast cancer cell migration were assessed. TFF2 expression was detected by PCR in estrogen receptor-negative and at lower levels in estrogen receptor-positive breast cancer cells. TFF2 expression was detected in nine out of 10 primary breast tumors but its expression was not related to that of the estrogen receptor. Focal expression was observed in normal and tumor cells by immunohistochemistry. TFF2 stimulated the migration of estrogen-responsive MCF-7 and non-responsive MDA-MB231 cells. We conclude that TFF2 is expressed in normal and malignant breast epithelial cells and that it stimulates the migration of breast cancer cells.
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