Breast Cancer «Recruits» Bone Cells to Accelerate Its Spread!

A research team at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis, United States, has revealed that breast cancer tumors “recruit” specialized cells involved in bone tissue formation, converting them into helper cells known as “cancer-associated fibroblasts,” a type of cell that helps create the environment required for tumor growth and expansion.

Published in the scientific journal Nature Communications, the study’s lead author, Roberta Faccio, professor of orthopedic surgery and member of the Siteman Cancer Center at Barnes-Jewish Hospital and Washington University School of Medicine, explained that examination of human tissue samples showed that up to 40 percent of these tumor-supporting fibroblasts carry a protein called Osterix, a key molecular marker associated with bone-forming cells.

The team demonstrated that these cells do not typically circulate freely within the body, but small numbers remain present in the bloodstream. Based on laboratory mouse models, researchers found that tumors themselves stimulate the release of these cells from the bone marrow into the bloodstream, where they subsequently infiltrate developing tumors.

In light of these findings, the team conducted experiments targeting the molecules Osterix and MMP13, both of which are linked to the tumor-promoting activity of these bone-derived fibroblasts. They found that disabling these molecules led to a significant reduction in tumor growth rates in experimental models.

Faccio noted that these results open the door to a new therapeutic approach by targeting bone-derived cells within breast tumors, with the aim of slowing disease progression and improving long-term clinical outcomes for patients.