Data from Human Bone Marrow–Derived MSCs Can Home to Orthotopic Breast Cancer Tumors and Promote Bone Metastasis

Abstract

American women have a nearly 25% lifetime risk of developing breast cancer, with 20% to 40% of these patients developing life-threatening metastases. More than 70% of patients presenting with metastases have skeletal involvement, which signals progression to an incurable stage. Tumor–stroma cell interactions are only superficially understood, specifically regarding the ability of stromal cells to affect metastasis. In vivo models show that exogenously supplied human bone marrow–derived stem cells (hBMSC) migrate to breast cancer tumors, but no reports have shown endogenous hBMSC migration from the bone to primary tumors. Here, we present a model of in vivo hBMSC migration from a physiologic human bone environment to human breast tumors. Furthermore, hBMSCs alter tumor growth and bone metastasis frequency. These may home to certain breast tumors based on tumor-derived TGF-β1. Moreover, at the primary tumor level, interleukin 17B (IL-17B)/IL-17BR signaling may mediate interactions between hBMSCs and breast cancer cells. Cancer Res; 70(24); 10044–50. ©2010 AACR.