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. Author manuscript; available in PMC: 2011 Jun 1.
Published in final edited form as: Cancer. 2010 Jun 1;116(11 Suppl):2806–2814. doi: 10.1002/cncr.25167

Figure 3. Effects Of EP3 Agonist Sulprostone, On Vasculogenic Mimicry And MMP-2 Activity By Breast Cancer Cells.

Figure 3

Figure 3A and B. Visualization Of Breast Cancer Cells Undergoing VM. Phase contrast microscopy (A) and light microscopy of breast cancer cells stained with Periodic Acid Schiff Reagent (B) allows visualization of SUM149 and MDA-MB-231 breast cancer cells undergoing VM. The EP3 agonist sulprostone blocked formation of capillary-like tubular structures by SUM149 cells but not by MDA-MB-231 cells.

Figure 3C. Quantitation Of Change In Number of Closed Channels In Breast Cancer Cells Undergoing VM. Analysis of changes in the number of closed channels of the capillary-like structures formed by breast cancer cells undergoing VM demonstrates that the EP3 agonist sulprostone blocks formation of capillary like structures formed by SUM149 IBC cells, but has no effect on VM exhibited by MDA-MB-231 cells.

Figure 3D. MMP-2 Activity Assessed By Gelatin Zymography. SUM149 cells under control conditions produce no MMP-2 activity, however VM, these breast cancer cells produce MMP-2 which is inhibited by the EP3 agonist sulprostone. In contrast, sulprostone had no effect on MMP-2 activity by MDA-MB-231 cells.