Name: the use of mouse mammary tumor cells in an in vitro invasion assay as a measure of oncogenic cell behavior
Uploaded: 2019-06-12T14:30:00
Description: Watch this Scientific Journal Video about The Use of Mouse Mammary Tumor Cells in an In Vitro Invasion Assay as a Measure of Oncogenic Cell Behavior at JoVE.com

This work was supported by grant R15CA169978 from the National Institutes of Health. Additional funding came from Villanova University.

All experiments and methods were performed as authorized by Villanova University Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee (IACUC).
1. Gene Expression in Cultured Mouse Mammary Tumor Cells
<ol>
	<li>First, prepare the cell lines to be tested.</li>
	<li>Use a breeding colony of BALB/cV mice. These mice carry the BALB/cV strain of mouse mammary tumor virus, transmitted to pups in milk6,7. Fifty percent of breeding females dev...

<ol>
	<li>He, X., Lee, B., Jiang, Y. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Cell-ECM+Interactions+in+Tumor+Invasion.">Cell-ECM Interactions in Tumor Invasion.</a> Advances in Experimental Medicine and Biology. 936, 73-91 (2016).</li><li>Albini, A., et al. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=A+rapid+in+vitro+assay+for+quantitating+the+invasive+potential+of+tumor+cells.">A rapid in vitro assay for quantitating the invasive potential of tumor cells.</a> Cancer Research. 47 (12), 3239-3245 (1987).</li><li>Simon, N., Noel, A., Foidart, J. M. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Evaluation+of+in+vitro+reconstituted+basement+membrane+assay+to+assess+the+invasiveness+of+tumor+cells.">Evaluation of in vitro reconstituted basement membrane assay to assess the invasiveness of tumor cells.</a> Invasion and Metastasis. 12 (3-4), 156-167 (1992).</li><li>Benton, G., Arnaoutova, I., George, J., Kleinman, H. K., Koblinski, J. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Matrigel:+from+discovery+and+ECM+mimicry+to+assays+and+models+for+cancer+research.">Matrigel: from discovery and ECM mimicry to assays and models for cancer research.</a> Advanced Drug Delivery Reviews. 79-80, 3-18 (2014).</li><li>Kleinman, H. K., Martin, G. R. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Matrigel:+basement+membrane+matrix+with+biological+activity.">Matrigel: basement membrane matrix with biological activity.</a> Seminars in Cancer Biology. 15 (5), 378-386 (2005).</li><li>Kang, J. J., Schwegel, T., Knepper, J. E. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Sequence+similarity+between+the+long+terminal+repeat+coding+regions+of+mammary-tumorigenic+BALB/cV+and+renal-tumorigenic+C3H-K+strains+of+mouse+mammary+tumor+virus.">Sequence similarity between the long terminal repeat coding regions of mammary-tumorigenic BALB/cV and renal-tumorigenic C3H-K strains of mouse mammary tumor virus.</a> Virology. 196 (1), 303-308 (1993).</li><li>Slagle, B. L., Lanford, R. E., Medina, D., Butel, J. S. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Expression+of+mammary+tumor+virus+proteins+in+preneoplastic+outgrowth+lines+and+mammary+tumors+of+BALB/cV+mice.">Expression of mammary tumor virus proteins in preneoplastic outgrowth lines and mammary tumors of BALB/cV mice.</a> Cancer Research. 44 (5), 2155-2162 (1984).</li><li>Schmidt, J. A., et al. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Regulation+of+the+oncogenic+phenotype+by+the+nuclear+body+protein+ZC3H8.">Regulation of the oncogenic phenotype by the nuclear body protein ZC3H8.</a> BMC Cancer. 18 (1), 759 (2018).</li><li>Neophytou, C., Boutsikos, P., Papageorgis, P. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Molecular+Mechanisms+and+Emerging+Therapeutic+Targets+of+Triple-Negative+Breast+Cancer+Metastasis.">Molecular Mechanisms and Emerging Therapeutic Targets of Triple-Negative Breast Cancer Metastasis.</a> Frontiers in Oncology. 8, 31 (2018).</li><li>Al-Alwan, M., et al. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Fascin+is+a+key+regulator+of+breast+cancer+invasion+that+acts+via+the+modification+of+metastasis-associated+molecules.">Fascin is a key regulator of breast cancer invasion that acts via the modification of metastasis-associated molecules.</a> PloS One. 6 (11), e27339 (2011).</li><li>Wang, M. J., Zhang, H., Li, J., Zhao, H. D. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=microRNA-98+inhibits+the+proliferation,+invasion,+migration+and+promotes+apoptosis+of+breast+cancer+cells+by+binding+to+HMGA2.">microRNA-98 inhibits the proliferation, invasion, migration and promotes apoptosis of breast cancer cells by binding to HMGA2.</a> Bioscience Reports. 38 (5), (2018).</li><li>Zheng, Y. F., Luo, J., Gan, G. L., Li, W. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Overexpression+of+microRNA-98+inhibits+cell+proliferation+and+promotes+cell+apoptosis+via+claudin-1+in+human+colorectal+carcinoma.">Overexpression of microRNA-98 inhibits cell proliferation and promotes cell apoptosis via claudin-1 in human colorectal carcinoma.</a> Journal of Cellular Biochemistry. 120 (4), 6090-6105 (2019).</li><li>Yan, W., Cao, Q. J., Arenas, R. B., Bentley, B., Shao, R. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=GATA3+inhibits+breast+cancer+metastasis+through+the+reversal+of+epithelial-mesenchymal+transition.">GATA3 inhibits breast cancer metastasis through the reversal of epithelial-mesenchymal transition.</a> Journal of Biological Chemistry. 285 (18), 14042-14051 (2010).</li></ol>

The in vitro invasion assay is an inexpensive, rapid, quantitative, and straightforward method for studying the factors promoting cancer cell invasion. Breast cancer is the most commonly diagnosed cancer among women. Of the three major subtypes of breast cancer, triple negative, (or ER-, PR-, HER2/neu-), is the most aggressive, most likely to metastasize, and most deadly9. Therefore, understanding the genes and expression that result in metastasis can help find new therapeutic targets and...

The in vitro invasion assay can be a useful tool when measuring a cell&#39;s ability to migrate through a protein-coated membrane, analogous to the first steps in metastasis. A key feature of malignant cancer cells is their ability to migrate through and invade nearby tissues. Cancer that has spread or metastasized poses more treatment challenges and has lower rates of long-term survival, while localized tumors are easier to treat and have higher rates of long-term survival. In order to metastasize, cancer cells must leave the primary tumor and migrate into the circulatory or lymphatic system, a process which requires passing through the extracellular matrix and basement membrane1. In the process called the epithelial mesenchymal transition (EMT), the tumor cells must break cell-cell contacts, migrate directionally, and invade nearby blood or lymph vessels. The initial steps of this metastasis cascade are of great interest since these steps are what can make cancer deadlier. The genetic and epigenetic factors involved in the early steps of metastasis are the focus of a great amount of research, but accurate and reliable experimental tools are needed to test these early steps both in vivo and in vitro.
Tools to measure changes in cell migration such as wound healing (scratch) assays or growth in 3D environments such as soft agar assays can partially address the need for experimental methods of measuring early steps of metastasis, but an assay to measure invasion is more challenging since the process occurs in the body within a complex tumor microenvironment. For the purposes of screening drugs or gene alterations to determine important factors in invasion and metastasis, a system that can be used in vitro with cultured cells and mimic the challenges faced by metastatic cells in vivo is the invasion assay2,3. Breast cancer is the most commonly diagnosed type of cancer in women and the second leading cause of cancer death in women, so understanding the genes responsible for breast cancer cell invasion and metastasis is critically important for public health. Moreover, mouse cells are a useful model system for studying breast cancer and its progression.
The in vitro invasion assay is based on the Boyden Chamber assembly where two chambers of growth media are separated by a porous membrane3. To mimic the tumor microenvironment, a protein-rich gel is also included to separate cells in one chamber from a chemoattractant in the other and act as a basement membrane barrier. In order to migrate towards the chemoattractant, cells must first pass through the protein-rich barrier then pass through the porous membrane - a process analogous to how metastatic cells migrate through stroma. The protein-rich gel can be altered based on the needs of the experiment, but usually consists of collagen, or basement membrane extract (e.g., Matrigel)4. It is a complex mixture of proteins, proteoglycans and growth factors, but mostly consists of laminins and collagen IV 4,5. Cells must then pass through a porous membrane typically made of polycarbonate, polyester, or polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE). Membranes may be purchased commercially with or without a protein gel (typically collagens), or the gel may be purchased separately and added. The pore size can be adjusted based on the cell size. While pore sizes are available from 0.4 - 8.0 &#181;m, only pores from 3.0 - 8.0 &#181;m are large enough for cell migration. The invasion assay has been used to determine the effectiveness of inhibitors on the ability of cells to migrate and invade. While lacking the exact tumor microenvironment that is present in vivo, the in vitro invasion assay is beneficial at screening many conditions in a short time while minimizing the need for animal models. The goal of these experiments is to compare gene expression of suspected oncogenes and determine the effects on cancer cell behavior and disease aggressiveness using the in vitro invasion assay and other tests. Overall, the invasion assay provides consistent, quantitative, and rapid results for determining metastatic potential while also being a relatively inexpensive, straightforward, and adaptable method.

<table>
	<tbody>
		<tr>
			<td>24-well plates</td>
			<td>Corning</td>
			<td>353504</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Antibiotic-Antimycotic (100X)</td>
			<td>ThermoFisher</td>
			<td>15240062</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>BALB/c mice</td>
			<td></td>
			<td></td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Cell Culture Incubator</td>
			<td></td>
			<td></td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Cell Culture Treated Flasks</td>
			<td></td>
			<td></td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Clinical cenrifuge</td>
			<td></td>
			<td></td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Cotton swab</td>
			<td>Puritan</td>
			<td>25-806</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Crystal Violet</td>
			<td>Sigma Aldrich</td>
			<td>C0775</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Distilled water</td>
			<td></td>
			<td></td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>DMEM</td>
			<td>ThermoFisher</td>
			<td>10566-016</td>
			<td>high glucose, GlutaMAX</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Ethanol</td>
			<td></td>
			<td></td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>FBS</td>
			<td>Sigma Aldrich</td>
			<td>F2442-500ML</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Forcepts</td>
			<td></td>
			<td></td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Glass Slide</td>
			<td>VWR</td>
			<td>16004-422</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>HBSS</td>
			<td>ThermoFisher</td>
			<td>14025076</td>
			<td>no calcium, no magnesium</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Hemocytometer</td>
			<td></td>
			<td></td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Imersion oil</td>
			<td></td>
			<td></td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Invasion Chambers (24-well)</td>
			<td>Corning</td>
			<td>354480</td>
			<td>Cat. #354481 for 6-well</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Light Microscope</td>
			<td></td>
			<td></td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Lipofectamine Transfection Reagent</td>
			<td></td>
			<td></td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>paraformaldehyde</td>
			<td>Sigma Aldrich</td>
			<td>P6148</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>PBS</td>
			<td></td>
			<td></td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Scalpel, disposable</td>
			<td></td>
			<td></td>
			<td>#11</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>shRNA</td>
			<td></td>
			<td></td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Sterile Transfer pipet</td>
			<td></td>
			<td></td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Trypsin-EDTA</td>
			<td>ThermoFisher</td>
			<td>25200056</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
	</tbody>
</table>

the use of mouse mammary tumor cells in an in vitro invasion assay as a measure of oncogenic cell behavior

The in vitro invasion assay uses a protein-rich matrix in a Boyden chamber to measure the ability of cultured cells to pass through the matrix and a porous membrane in a process analogous to the initial steps of cancer cell metastasis. The tested cells can be altered for the gene expression or treated with inhibitors to test for changes in the invasion potential. This experiment tests the aggressive phenotype of the mouse mammary tumor cells to discover and characterize the potential oncogenes that promote cell invasion. This technique, however, can be versatile and adapted to many different applications. The experiment itself can be done in one day and the results are acquired by light microscopy in less than a day. The results include counts of the number of invading cells for comparison and analysis. The in vitro invasion assay is a rapid, inexpensive, and clear-cut method for determining cell behavior in a culture that can be used as an initial assessment before more involved in vivo assays.

This method of in vitro invasion through a protein matrix was used to assess the aggressive phenotypes and oncogenic cell behaviors of mouse mammary tumor cells with altered expression of the zinc finger protein ZC3H88. In conjunction with other approaches that also examine cell migration and growth in 3D environments, it was found that higher levels of expression of Zc3h8 in tumor cell lines, or by promoter-mediated expression from a plasmid, resulted in rapid rat...

Watch this Scientific Journal Video about The Use of Mouse Mammary Tumor Cells in an In Vitro Invasion Assay as a Measure of Oncogenic Cell Behavior at JoVE.com

The Use of Mouse Mammary Tumor Cells in an In Vitro Invasion Assay as a Measure of Oncogenic Cell Behavior

The in vitro cell invasion assay is used to measure the potential of cancer metastasis by quantifying the cellular potential for invasion and migration using cell culture inserts containing protein matrix. Cells are challenged to migrate through the protein matrix and a porous membrane, towards a chemoattractant, and then quantified by light microscopy.

The in vitro invasion assay uses a protein-rich matrix in a Boyden chamber to measure the ability of cultured cells to pass through the matrix and a ...

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