Expression data from breast cancer cell lines with various colony-forming ability

Cultured cancer cells exhibit substantial phenotypic heterogeneity when measured in a variety of ways such as sensitivity to drugs or the capacity to grow under various conditions. Among these, the ability to exhibit anchorage-independent cell growth (colony forming capacity in semisolid media), has been considered to be fundamental in cancer biology, because it has been connected with tumor cell aggressiveness in vivo such as tumorigenic and metastatic potentials, and also utilized as a marker for in vitro transformation. Although multiple genetic factors for anchorage-independence have been identified, the molecular basis for this capacity is still largely unknown. To investigate the molecular mechanisms underlying anchorage independent cell growth, we have used genome-wide DNA microarray studies to develop an expression signature associated with this phenotype. Using this signature, we identify a program of activated mitochondrial biogenesis associated with the phenotype of anchorage-independent growth and importantly, we demonstrate that this phenotype predicts potential for metastasis in primary breast and lung tumors.

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Mori S, Chang JT, Andrechek ER, Matsumura N, Baba T, Yao G, Kim JW, Gatza M, Murphy S, Nevins JR