Transformed Human Breast Epithelial Cell Types vs. Normal Cell-of-Origin

The gene expression of two different tumorigenic human breast epithelial cell types (HMLER and BPLER) is compared with their immortalized parental cell-of-origin (HME and BPE). Keywords: breast cancer, cell-of-origin, HMEC, BPEC,metastasis, tumor stem cells, tumor initiating cells, breast adenocarcinoma Two different normal primary human mammary epithelial cell populations (BPECs and HMECs) were isolated based on their differing in vitro growth requirements. These cells were immortalized by hTERT giving rise to BPE and HME cells. These hTERT immortalized cells (BPE and HME) were transformed by SV40-early region (LT+st) and H-Ras giving rise to transformed tumorigenic derivatives BPLER and HMLER. Biological replicates (4 - 6 samples) for each of 4 cell types were analyzed (untransformed hTERT immortalized cell populations (BPE&HME), and transformed tumorigenic derivatives (BPLER & HMLER).