In Vitro Evaluation of Oncogenic Transformation in Human Mammary Epithelial Cells

Summary

This protocol provides experimental in vitro tools to evaluate the transformation of human mammary cells. Detailed steps to follow-up cell proliferation rate, anchorage-independent growth capacity, and distribution of cell lineages in 3D cultures with basement membrane matrix are described.

Abstract

Tumorigenesis is a multi-step process in which cells acquire capabilities that allow their growth, survival, and dissemination under hostile conditions. Different tests seek to identify and quantify these hallmarks of cancerous cells; however, they often focus on a single aspect of cellular transformation and, in fact, multiple tests are required for their proper characterization. The purpose of this work is to provide researchers with a set of tools to assess cellular transformation in vitro from a broad perspective, thereby making it possible to draw sound conclusions.

A sustained proliferative signaling activation is the major feature of tumoral tissues and can be easily monitored under in vitro conditions by calculating the number of population doublings achieved over time. Besides, the growth of cells in 3D cultures allows their interaction with surrounding cells, resembling what occurs in vivo. This enables the evaluation of cellular aggregation and, together with immunofluorescent labeling of distinctive cellular markers, to obtain information on another relevant feature of tumoral transformation: the loss of proper organization. Another remarkable characteristic of transformed cells is their capacity to grow without attachment to other cells and to the extracellular matrix, which can be evaluated with the anchorage assay.

Detailed experimental procedures to evaluate cell growth rate, to perform immunofluorescent labeling of cell lineage markers in 3D cultures, and to test anchorage-independent cell growth in soft agar are provided. These methodologies are optimized for Breast Primary Epithelial Cells (BPEC) due to its relevance in breast cancer; however, procedures can be applied to other cell types after some adjustments.

Introduction

Multiple successive events are required for neoplasm development. In 2011, Hanahan and Weinberg described 10 capabilities that enable transformed cells’ growth, survival, and dissemination: the so-called “Hallmarks of Cancer”¹. The methodology described here compiles three different tools to evaluate in vitro cellular transformation by focusing on some of the tumoral cells’ distinctive features. These techniques assess the cell proliferation rate, the behavior of cells when cultured in 3D and their capacity to form colonies with anchorage independence.

Cell models are crucial to test hypothesi....

Protocol

Human samples used in the following experiments were obtained from reduction mammoplasties carried out at Clínica Pilar Sant Jordi (Barcelona) under standard procedure consent. All procedures are performed in a Class II Biological Safety Cabinet unless otherwise stated.

1. In vitro culture of human mammary epithelial cells and growth curve plot build-up

1. In vitro culture of breast primary epithelial cells (BPECs): cell passaging
   NOTE: For BPEC d.......

Discussion

The experimental protocols described in this paper provide useful tools to assess the oncogenic transformation of in vitro cultured cells. Each technique evaluates specific aspects of the transformation process, and thus, special attention must be paid when drawing conclusions from a single analysis. Growth curves build-up is an approach that demands information already available when culturing cells for other purposes. That makes this technique cheaper and easier to apply compared to other cell proliferation assays. How.......

Materials

Name	Company	Catalog Number	Comments
1 ml Serological Pipettes	Labclinics	PLC91001
1.5 ml Eppendorfs	Thermo Fisher Scientific	3451	Dark eppendorfs are preferred for MTT long-term storage
10 μl Pipette tips w/o filter	Biologix	20-0010
100 ml glass bottle			With cap, autoclavable
1000 μl Pipette tips w/ filter	Labclinics	LAB1000ULFNL
1000 μl Pipette tips w/o filter	Biologix	20-1000
15 ml Conical tubes	VWR	525-0400
2 ml Serological Pipettes	Labclinics	PLC91002
200 μl Pipette tips w/ filter	Labclinics	FTR200-96
5 ml Serological Pipettes	Labclinics	PLC91005
50 ml Conical Tubes	VWR	525-0304
Acetone	PanReac AppliChem	211007	Used for 3D structure fixation prior to immunofluorescent labelling
Agar	Sigma-Aldrich	A1296	Used for anchorage assay
Anti-Claudin 4 antibody	Abcam	15104, RRID:AB_301650	Working dilution 1:100, host: rabbit
Anti-Cytokeratin 14 [RCK107] antibody	Abcam	9220, RRID:AB_307087	Working dilution 1:100, host: mouse
Anti-mouse Cyanine Cy3 antibody	Jackson ImmunoResearch Inc.	115-165-146, RRID:AB_2338690	Working dilution 1:500, host: goat
Anti-rabbit Alexa Fluor 488 antibody	Thermo Fisher Scientific	A-11034, RRID:AB_2576217	Working dilution 1:500, host: goat
Autoclave
BioVoxxel Toolbox		RRID:SCR_015825
Cell culture 24-well Plate	Labclinics	PLC30024	Used for 3D cultures in Matrigel. Flat Bottom
Cell culture 6-well Plate	Labclinics	PLC30006	Used for anchorage assay
Cell incubator (37 ºC and 5 % CO2)
Cell Strainers	Fisherbrand	11587522	Mesh size: 40 μm
CellSense software	Olympus		Used to image acquisition
Centrifuge
Cholera Toxin from Vibrio cholerae	Sigma-Aldrich	C8052	Used to supplement cell culture medium
Class II Biological Safety Cabinet	Herasafe	HAEREUS HS12
Confocal inverted Microscope	Leica	TCS SP5
Cover glasses	Witeg Labortechnik GmbH	4600122	22 X 22 mm, thickness 0.13 - 0.17 mm
DAPI			2-(4-amidinophenyl)-1H -indole-6-carboxamidine
Fetal Bovine Serum	Biowest	S1810	Used to inactivate trypsine action
Fiji software (ImageJ)	National Institutes of Health	RRID:SCR_002285	Free download, no license needed
Glass Pasteur Pipettes
Glass slides	Fisherbrand	11844782
Goat Serum	Biowest	S2000	Used for immunofluorescence of 3D structures
Heat-Resistant Gloves			Used for agar manipulation after autoclave
Heater bath (37 ºC)			Used to temper solutions prior to cell subculture
Heater bath (42 ºC)			Used to keep agar warm
Heating plate			Used for Matrigel dehydration
Humid chamber			Used for the incubation of antibodies during immunofluorescence
Ice			Used during Matrigel manipulation
Ice-box
Inverted Optic Microscope	Olympus	IX71
Matrigel Matrix	Becton Dickinson	354234	Store at -20 ºC and keep cold when in use. Referred to as basement membrane matrix
Methanol	PanReac AppliChem	131091	Used for 3D structure fixation prior to immunofluorescent labelling
Micropipette			p1000, p200 and p10
Microsoft Office Excel	Microsoft	RRID:SCR_016137	Used to calculate population doubling and to obtain growth rate equation
MilliQ water			Referred to as ultrapure water
Nail Polish			Used to seal samples after mounting
Parafilm M	Bemis	PM-999	Used to cover antibody solution during incubation
PBS pH 7.4 (w/o calcium & magnesium)	Gibco	10010-056	Sterile. Used for cell subculture
PBS tablets	Sigma-Aldrich	P4417	Dilute in milliQ water. No sterility required. Used for immunofluorescence
Pipette Aid
Primaria T25 flasks	Corning	353808	Used for BPEC culture
Scepter Automated Cell Counter	Millipore	PHCC20060	Alternatively, use an haemocytometer
Scissors			Used to cut pipette tips and parafilm
Sterile filters 0.22 μm	Millipore	SLGP033RS	Used to filter MTT solution
Thiazolyl Blue Tetrazolium Bromide (MTT)	Sigma-Aldrich	M2128	Store at -20 ºC
Triton X-100	Sigma-Aldrich	T8787	Used for immunofluorescence of 3D structures
Trypsin-EDTA 10X	Biowest	X0930	Dilute in PBS to obtain 3X solution
Vectashield Antifade Mounting Medium	Vector Laboratories	H-1000
WIT-P-NC Culture Medium	Stemgent	00-0051	Used for primary BPEC culture
WIT-T Culture Medium	Stemgent	00-0047	Used for transformed BPEC culture