Fig. 1.

Carcinoma–adipose stromal cell (ASC) interaction alters characteristics of ASCs and promotes proliferation and migration rate of breast cancer cells. a Reduction of adipocyte transcription markers in human primary adipocyte stromal cells (hASCs) and 3T3-L1 adipocyte stromal cells (3T3a) by coculture with MCF7 cells, from those levels in preadipocytes. Pre-hASCs Primary human preadipocytes. * P < 0.0001 compared with basal preadipocytes; ** P < 0.05 compared with hASC + MCF7. b Cell proliferation rate by WST-8 assay in MCF7, T47D, SK-BR-3, and ZR-75-1 cells by treatment of conditioned medium (CM) derived from each cell line, pre-3T3-L1, and 3T3a for 4 days. CCM Breast cancer cell-derived conditioned medium, pre-CM Preadipocyte-derived conditioned medium, ACM 3T3a adipose stromal cell-derived conditioned medium. * P < 0.05; ** P < 0.0001 compared with control. c Coculture with ASCs (+3T3a) significantly induced migration rate of MCF7, SK-BR-3, T47D, and ZR-75-1 cells compared with monocultured cells. * P < 0.05 compared with monoculture. C/EBPα CCAAT/enhancer-binding protein α, FABP4 Fatty acid-binding protein 4, mRNA Messenger RNA, PPARγ Peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-γ