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ErbB2, but not ErbB1, reinitiates proliferation and induces luminal repopulation in epithelial acini

Nature Cell Biology volume 3, pages 785–792 (2001)Cite this article

Abstract

Both ErbB1 and ErbB2 are overexpressed or amplified in breast tumours. To examine the effects of activating ErbB receptors in a context that mimics polarized epithelial cells in vivo, we activated ErbB1 and ErbB2 homodimers in preformed, growth-arrested mammary acini cultured in three-dimensional basement membrane gels. Activation of ErbB2, but not that of ErbB1, led to a reinitiation of cell proliferation and altered the properties of mammary acinar structures. These altered structures share several properties with early-stage tumours, including a loss of proliferative suppression, an absence of lumen, retention of the basement membrane and a lack of invasive properties. ErbB2 activation also disrupted tight junctions and the cell polarity of polarized epithelia, whereas ErbB1 activation did not have any effect. Our results indicate that ErbB receptors differ in their ability to induce early stages of mammary carcinogenesis in vitro and this three-dimensional model system can reveal biological activities of oncogenes that cannot be examined in vitro in standard transformation assays.

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Figure 1: Synthetic-ligand-inducible activation of ErbB receptors in MCF-10A cells.
Figure 2: MCF-10A cells form growth arrested polarized acinar structures in Matrigel.
Figure 3: ErbB1 and ErbB2 homodimers differ in their ability to affect acinar structures.
Figure 4: ErbB1 and ErbB2 homodimers differ in their ability to reinitiate proliferation.
Figure 5: Characterization of ErbB2-induced multi-acinar structures.
Figure 6: ErbB1 and ErbB2 homodimers differ in their ability to disrupt epithelial cell polarity.

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Acknowledgements

We thank ARIAD Pharmaceuticals for providing AP1510 (see http://www.ariad.com for more information); Terry Keenan for synthesis of AP1510; Tim Clackson and Victor Rivera for helpful discussions; William Muller for ErbB2 cDNA; Robert Burgeson for anti-laminin V antibodies; Richard Mulligan for the 293-GPG retrovirus packaging cell line; Carolyn Damsky for AIIB2 antibodies; Karl Matlin for the MDCK cell line; and members of Brugge and Bissell laboratories for stimulating discussions and helpful suggestions. This work was supported by grants from NIH (NCI) (J.S.B., M.J.B.); US Army Medical Research and Material Command (S.K.M.), Massachusetts Breast Cancer Research (S.K.M.), and the US Department of Energy, Office of Biological and Environmental Research (M.J.B.).

Author information

Author notes

  1. Senthil K. Muthuswamy

    Present address: Cold Spring Harbor Laboratories, Cold Spring Harbor, New York, 11724, USA

  2. Sophie Lelievre

    Present address: Department of Basic Medical Sciences, Purdue University, West Lafayette, Indiana, 47907, USA

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Cell Biology, 240, Longwood Ave

    Senthil K. Muthuswamy, Dongmei Li & Joan S. Brugge

  2. Harvard Medical School, Boston, 02115, Massachusetts, USA

    Senthil K. Muthuswamy, Dongmei Li & Joan S. Brugge

  3. Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, 1 Cyclotron Road

    Sophie Lelievre & Mina J. Bissell

  4. University of California, Berkeley, California, USA

    Sophie Lelievre & Mina J. Bissell

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Correspondence to Joan S. Brugge.

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Supplementary figures

Figure S1 Activation of ErbB2 homodimers was unable to induce anchorage-independent growth. (PDF 910 kb)

Figure S2 Activation of ErbB2 does not overcome b1 integrin requirement.

Figure S3 Activation of ErbB1 or ErbB2 was not sufficient to induce migration or invasion.

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Muthuswamy, S., Li, D., Lelievre, S. et al. ErbB2, but not ErbB1, reinitiates proliferation and induces luminal repopulation in epithelial acini. Nat Cell Biol 3, 785–792 (2001). https://doi.org/10.1038/ncb0901-785

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