Figure 5From: Cigarette smoke induces epithelial to mesenchymal transition and increases the metastatic ability of breast cancer cellsExposure of mammary epithelial cells to CSE leads to gene expression changes indicative of EMT. (A, left panel) Western Blot showing upregulation of Vimentin and downregulation of E-cadherin in MCF10A and MCF7 cells exposed to CSE for 21 weeks. (A, right panel) qRT PCR analysis showing downregulation of e-cadherin mRNA and upregulation of Vimentin mRNA in two MCF10A subclones after 21 weeks of exposure to 0.5% CSE. (B) qRT PCR analysis showing downregulation of occludin and upregulation of N-cadherin and fibronectin in two MCF10A subclones at 21 and 40 weeks of exposure. (C-F) qRT PCR analysis of EMT genes in MCF 10A mammary epithelial cells exposed to 0.5% CSE for 21 weeks (clones SC1 and SC2) or 0.5-1.0% CSE for 40 weeks (without subcloning). Data in bar graphs are mean ± standard deviation of 3 replicates; *P<0.01, **P<0.001.Back to article page