Collagen biosynthesis by a breast carcinoma cell strain and biopsy fragments of the primary tumour

Collagen biosynthesis was assayed in tissue fragments and in cultured neoplastic cells derived from primary ductal infiltrating carcinoma of the human breast. Neoplastic cells "in vitro" produce 3-4% of collagen with respect to the high molecular weight protein fraction. The neosynthesized collagen is mainly composed of alpha 1 (I) chains, which may be assembled as homotrimer molecules, as indicated by their resistance to pepsin digestion. In tissue fragments, (where neoplastic and host stromal cells coexist), the collagen percentage increases up to 15-20% and more than one polypeptide chain is produced. Present data suggest that neoplastic cells "in vivo" contribute to the deposition of collagen components, actively synthesizing a certain amount of the type I-trimer, which is a significant component of the "scirrhous" stroma (Minafra et al.1984; Pucci Minafra et al, 1985). This phenomenon is interpreted as one of the numerous interrelationships occurring at the cell-matrix interface during the malignant growth.