Figure 7.

Uptake of MDA-MB-231-Released EVs by T47D Cells Leads to Increased Metastatic Potential

(A) MDA-MB-231 CFP⁺ Cre⁺ cells and T47D reporter⁺ cells were injected as a mixture in one mammary gland (local communication) or separately in contralateral mammary glands (distant communication). The lungs and corresponding primary reporter tumors were analyzed, and the ratio of GFP⁺/DsRed⁺ metastases and cells was determined. If EV uptake results in an enhanced metastatic potential, the ratio of eGFP⁺ over DsRed⁺ cells that arrive and grow out in the lung is expected to be higher than the ratio of these populations of cells in the primary tumor.

(B and C) Representative images of frozen sections of the primary tumor and lungs of mice of local (B) and distant communication experiments (C). Right dot plots show the fold increase of metastatic potential (increase in eGFP⁺ over DsRed⁺ ratio in lungs compared to the ratio in corresponding primary tumors). Red lines show the median, each symbol represents one cryosection, and different symbols represent different mice (n = 4 mice per condition). Scale bars represent 50 μm.

See also Figures S3 and S6.