Evidence map›Paper›PMID 39887653›Full record

ArticleCancer medicine2025

Expression of Lymphoid Enhancer-Binding Factor 1 in Cancer-Associated Fibroblasts Mediates Tumor Growth and Transdifferentiation Toward Squamous Cell Carcinoma in Human Breast Cancer.

Hiroya Okazaki, Yoshihiro Mezawa, Yang Shi, Mizuki Sakimoto, Zixu Wang, Akane Ishizuka, Kazunari Yamashita, Asahi Satoh, Yu Koyama, Yuki Fukumura and 9 more

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Cancer medicine, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
0citing papers in PubMed
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1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

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The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

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Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

0 citing papers in PubMed.

No citing paper in PubMed yet.

4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

19 authors.

Hiroya OkazakiDepartment of Oral Pathobiological Science and Surgery, Tokyo Dental College, Tokyo, Japan.
Yoshihiro MezawaDepartment of Pathology and Oncology, Juntendo University Faculty of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2095-3867
Yang ShiDepartment of Molecular Pathogenesis, Juntendo University Graduate School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan.
Mizuki SakimotoDepartment of Pathology and Oncology, Juntendo University Faculty of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan.
Zixu WangDepartment of Molecular Pathogenesis, Juntendo University Graduate School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan.
Akane IshizukaDepartment of Molecular Pathogenesis, Juntendo University Graduate School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan.
Kazunari YamashitaDepartment of Pathology and Oncology, Juntendo University Faculty of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan.
Asahi SatohDepartment of Molecular Pathogenesis, Juntendo University Graduate School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan.
Yu KoyamaDepartment of Oral Pathobiological Science and Surgery, Tokyo Dental College, Tokyo, Japan.
Yuki FukumuraDepartment of Human Pathology, Juntendo University Faculty of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan.
Kazunori KajinoDepartment of Human Pathology, Juntendo University Faculty of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan.
Atsushi TakanoDepartment of Medical Oncology and Cancer Center, Shiga University of Medical Science, Shiga Japan.
Tomoyuki YokoseDepartment of Pathology, Kanagawa Cancer Center, Kanagawa, Japan.
Toshinari YamashitaDepartment of Breast Surgery and Oncology, Kanagawa Cancer Center, Kanagawa, Japan.
Yohei MiyagiMolecular Pathology and Genetics Division, Kanagawa Cancer Center, Research Institute, Kanagawa, Japan.
Yataro DaigoDepartment of Medical Oncology and Cancer Center, Shiga University of Medical Science, Shiga Japan.
Akira KatakuraDepartment of Oral Pathobiological Science and Surgery, Tokyo Dental College, Tokyo, Japan.
Takehiro YasukawaDepartment of Pathology and Oncology, Juntendo University Faculty of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9531-8780
Akira OrimoDepartment of Pathology and Oncology, Juntendo University Faculty of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan.

Funding

Department of Oral Pathobiological Science and Surgery, Tokyo Dental CollegeJapan Society for the Promotion of Science 16H06277Japan Society for the Promotion of Science 21K07127Japan Society for the Promotion of Science 22H04923Japan Society for the Promotion of Science 22K17217Juntendo University Graduate School of Medicine, Center for Genomic and Regenerative MedicineSubsidies for Current Expenditures to Private Institutions of Higher Education from the Promotion and Mutual Aid Corporation for Private Schools of Japan
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundCancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs) play a significant role in human breast cancer as a major stromal component. While their role in promoting cancer proliferation and malignancy through interaction with cancer cells in the tumor microenvironment is known, the exact mechanisms behind this interaction are not fully understood.

resultsOur study reveals that lymphoid enhancer-binding factor 1 (LEF1), a central transcription factor for Wnt/β-catenin signaling, is expressed in experimentally generated tumor-promoting CAFs (exp-CAFs) as well as in CAFs from breast cancer patients, particularly those with a poor prognosis. Notably, LEF1-expressing CAFs are prevalent in the stroma of squamous cell carcinoma (SCC), an aggressive metaplastic breast cancer subtype with a limited understanding of its development. To investigate the functional importance of LEF1 expression in CAFs, we depleted LEF1 in the exp-CAFs and subcutaneously implanted them along with breast ductal carcinoma MCF10DCIS.com cells into immunodeficient mice. Depleting LEF1 resulted in reduced xenograft tumor growth, accompanied by decreased cancer-cell proliferation and angiogenesis in the tumors. Additionally, we observed a significant reduction in the expression of SCC markers p40 (ΔNp63) and cytokeratin 5/6 in the xenograft tumors when LEF1 was depleted in the exp-CAFs. Furthermore, we identified 13 genes, none of which are established downstream genes of the Wnt/β-catenin pathway, that exhibit expression patterns similar to LFE1 in our cultured fibroblasts.

conclusionIn summary, our findings suggest that LEF1 expression contributes to the tumor-promoting abilities of breast CAFs and that LEF1-expressing CAFs may drive transdifferentiation toward SCC, possibly through a pathway independent of the canonical Wnt/β-catenin signaling.

Indexed as

Breast NeoplasmsCancer-Associated FibroblastsCarcinoma, Squamous CellCell TransdifferentiationLymphoid Enhancer-Binding Factor 1AnimalsCell Line, TumorCell ProliferationFemaleGene Expression Regulation, NeoplasticHumansMiceTumor MicroenvironmentWnt Signaling PathwayLEF1 protein, humanLymphoid Enhancer-Binding Factor 1breast cancercancer‐associated fibroblastscancer biologymicroenvironment

Identifiers

PMID39887653
PMCPMC11783236

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.