Skip to main content
Figure 6 | BMC Developmental Biology

Figure 6

From: Low concentrations of transforming growth factor-beta-1 induce tubulogenesis in cultured mammary epithelial cells

Figure 6

Effect of MMP inhibitors on TGF-β1-induced tubulogenesis. (A-C) The broad spectrum metalloproteinase inhibitor BB94 abrogates TGF-β1-induced branching tubulogenesis. J3B1A cells were grown in a collagen gel for 6 days to allow cyst formation and were subsequently treated with 50 pg/ml TGF-β1 for an additional 4 days in the absence (A) or in the presence (B) of BB94 (1 μM; the inhibitor was added two hours before treatment with TGF-β1). Bars, 200 μm. (C) Quantitative analysis of the effect of BB94 on TGF-β1-induced tubulogenesis. J3B1A cells grown in collagen gels for 6 days were treated with TGF-β1 alone (50 pg/ml), co-treated with TGF-β1 and BB94 (30 nM to 3 μM), or co-treated with TGF-β1 and the inactive isomer BB1268 (3 μM) for 4 days. Formation of tubular outgrowths is suppressed in a dose-dependent manner by BB94, but is not significantly decreased by the inactive isomer BB1268. * p < 0.0125 and ** p < 0.0005 compared with cultures incubated with TGF-β1 alone. (D-F) TGF-β1-mediated branching tubulogenesis is suppressed by pre-treatment with 2 μg/ml recombinant TIMP-2 or 5 μM MMP-9 Inhibitor I, but not by pre-treatment with 100 μM CL-82198, a selective inhibitor of MMP-13. Bars, 200 μm. (G) Quantitative analysis of the effect of MMP-9 inhibitor I. J3B1A cells grown in collagen gels for 6 days were treated with TGF-β1 alone (50 pg/ml) or co-treated with TGF-β1 and MMP-9 Inhibitor I (1–5 μM) for 4 days (MMP-9 Inhibitor I was added two hours before treatment with TGF-β1). Formation of tubular outgrowths is abrogated by MMP-9 inhibitor I in a dose-dependent manner. * p < 0.0025 and ** p < 0.0005 compared with cultures incubated with TGF-β1 alone.

Back to article page