Oncoprotein expression and morphological phenotypes of human breast epithelial cells transformed by the c-Ha-ras oncogene

Activated oncogenes have been detected in a variety of malignant tumors and altered expressions of certain genes are known to play a functional role in the cancer process. The chemical carcinogen, BP, and the insertion of c-Ha-ras, induced characteristics of transformed phenotypes in a suitable human breast epithelial cell line. Carcinogen-treated and Ha-ras-transfected cells showed a progression of changes in the morphology, anchorage independent growth, invasiveness and tumorigenicity in SCID mice. Tumor growth occurs after a series of molecular events that parallel morphological changes. The aim of this work was to determine the neoplastic phenotypes following treatment with benzo(a)pyrene (BP) and transfection with c-Ha-ras oncogene changes and PCNA, Neu, ErbB-3 and Cytokeratin 18 protein expression in MCF-10F cells, a spontaneously immortalized human breast epithelial cell line. Protein expression was determined by immunofluorescent staining coupled with confocal microscopy. An increased oncoprotein expression in comparison to MCF-10F cells was observed in PCNA, Neu, ErbB-3 and Cytokeratin 18 protein expression in breast epithelial cells transformed with a chemical carcinogen and/or oncogene transfected that are not present in the MCF-10F. This in vitro cancer model can be used as a valuable model in the study of breast carcinogenesis.