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BMC Cancer
Published in: BMC Cancer 1/2019

Open Access 01-12-2019 | Metastasis | Technical advance

Advanced assessment of migration and invasion of cancer cells in response to mifepristone therapy using double fluorescence cytochemical labeling

Authors: Sabrina J. Ritch, BreeAnn N. Brandhagen, Alicia A. Goyeneche, Carlos M. Telleria

Published in: BMC Cancer | Issue 1/2019

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Abstract

Background

Previous work in our laboratory demonstrated that antiprogestin mifepristone impairs the growth and adhesion of highly metastatic cancer cells, and causes changes in their cellular morphology. In this study, we further assess the anti-metastatic properties of mifepristone, by studying whether cytostatic doses of the drug can inhibit the migration and invasion of various cancer cell lines using a double fluorescence cytochemical labeling approach.

Methods

Cell lines representing cancers of the ovary (SKOV-3), breast (MDA-MB-231), glia (U87MG), or prostate (LNCaP) were treated with cytostatic concentrations of mifepristone. Wound healing and Boyden chamber assays were utilized to study cellular migration. To study cellular invasion, the Boyden chamber assay was prepared by adding a layer of extracellular matrix over the polycarbonate membrane. We enhanced the assays with the addition of double fluorescence cytochemical staining for fibrillar actin (F-actin) and DNA to observe the patterns of cytoskeletal distribution and nuclear positioning while cells migrate and invade.

Results

When exposed to cytostatic concentrations of mifepristone, all cancer cells lines demonstrated a decrease in both migration and invasion capacities measured using standard approaches. Double fluorescence cytochemical labeling validated that mifepristone-treated cancer cells exhibit reduced migration and invasion, and allowed to unveil a distinct migration pattern among the different cell lines, different arrays of nuclear localization during migration, and apparent redistribution of F-actin to the nucleus.

Conclusion

This study reports that antiprogestin mifepristone inhibits migration and invasion of highly metastatic cancer cell lines, and that double fluorescence cytochemical labeling increases the value of well-known approaches to study cell movement.
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Metadata
Title
Advanced assessment of migration and invasion of cancer cells in response to mifepristone therapy using double fluorescence cytochemical labeling
Authors
Sabrina J. Ritch
BreeAnn N. Brandhagen
Alicia A. Goyeneche
Carlos M. Telleria
Publication date
01-12-2019
Publisher
BioMed Central
Published in
BMC Cancer / Issue 1/2019
Electronic ISSN: 1471-2407
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1186/s12885-019-5587-3

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