Fig. 2

Activation of PLOD2 in CAAs is responsible for the collagen reorganization in vitro and in vivo. a Relative mRNA expression of collagen modification related genes were measured in the 3 T3-L1 mature adipocytes cultivated in the presence or absence of MDA-MB-231 cells or SKBR-3 cells for 72 h. b Protein expression of PLOD2, LOX and collagen I were measured in the 3 T3-L1 adipocytes cultivated in the presence of MDA-MB-231, SKBR-3, MDA-MB-468, BT474 cells or in the absence of breast cancer cells for 72 h, and the bands density of these proteins were further analyzed compared with GAPDH. c PLOD2 protein expression was measured in the ASCs adipocytes cultivated in the presence of MDA-MB-231 or SKBR-3 cells or in the absence of breast cancer cells for 72 h, and the band density of PLOD2 was further analyzed compared with GAPDH. d Immunofluorescence staining of type I collagen antibody (green) and DAPI (blue) of adipocytes (control), CAAs (cocultured) or CAAs treated with minoxidil (0.5 mM) for 72 h. (e) Surgically resected subcutaneous adipose tissue was implanted subcutaneously into athymic BALB/c nude mice, where they were allowed to develop into fat pads after 1 week. MDA-MB-231 cells were then injected into the newly formed fat pads or assayed separately for 8 weeks. f Photographs of mice with fat pat alone, fat pat containing tumors and tumors alone after being sacrificed, and HE staining of the different group tumor tissues or fat pats. Masson trichrome and PLOD2 immunohistochemistry stained sections from fat pads alone, tumors grown alone, or tumors grown into the fat pads with collagen stained in blue and the nucleus in red