查看文章

Brain metastases are associated with shortened survival and poorer quality of life in breast cancer patients. Recently, the importance of platelet-derived growth factor-B (PDGFB) and its stromally localized cognate receptor, platelet-derived growth factor receptor-beta (PDGFRβ) in promoting breast cancer metastasis to the brain was identified by our group. Historically, PDGFB-to-PDGFRβ signaling is known to promote angiogenesis and vessel maturation both in normal physiology and in cancer, but the mechanism(s) behind this tumor stromal interplay in brain metastasis is poorly understood. Based on our previous work and the work of others, we hypothesized that breast tumor-derived PDGFB directly modulates both brain endothelial and blood brain barrier (BBB) function by altering angiogenesis and endothelial permeability. To test this directly, we over-expressed PDGFB ligand in MDA-MB-231 and HCC1187 …