TGF-α Overexpression in Breast Cancer Bone Metastasis and Primary Lesions and TGF-α Enhancement of Expression of Procancer Metastasis Cytokines in Bone Marrow Mesenchymal Stem Cells

Figure 6

The hypothesis that TGF-α stimulates bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells (BMSCs) in breast cancer bone metastasis. Breast cancer influences BMSCs to promote BC metastasis to bone. In the process, breast cancer cells and nontumor tissue macrophages produce TGF-α to stimulate BMSCs that express the receptor EGFR, and activated BMSCs produce procancer cytokines/growth factors to promote BC.