Journal of Carcinogenesis & Mutagenesis

Connie Qiu

Publications

• Research Article
  Hypoxia Affects the Structure of Breast Cancer Cell-Derived Matrix to Support Angiogenic Responses of Endothelial Cells
  Author(s): Abigail Hielscher, Connie Qiu, Josh Porterfield, Quinton Smith and Sharon GerechtAbigail Hielscher, Connie Qiu, Josh Porterfield, Quinton Smith and Sharon Gerecht
  
  Hypoxia, a common feature of the tumor environment and participant in tumor progression, is known to alter gene and protein expression of several Extracellular Matrix (ECM) proteins, many of which have roles in angiogenesis. Previously, we reported that ECM deposited from co-cultures of Neonatal Fibroblasts (NuFF) with breast cancer cells, supported 3-dimensional vascular morphogenesis. Here, we sought to characterize the hypoxic ECM and to identify whether the deposited ECM induce angiogenic responses in Endothelial Cells (ECs). NuFF and MDAMB- 231 breast cancer cells were co-cultured, subjected to alternating cycles of 24 hours of 1% (hypoxia) and 21% (atmospheric) oxygen and de-cellularized for analyses of deposited ECM. We report differences in mRNA expression profiles of matrix proteins and crosslinking enzymes relevant to angiogenesis in hypoxia-exposed cocultures. Interestingly.. View More»
  DOI: 10.4172/2157-2518.S13-005

  Abstract PDF