Differentiated Protein and Lipid Composition Profiles of Breast Cancer Cells Grown on Various ECM Proteins

The development of malignant cancer cells is dependent on the function of extracellular matrix (ECM) proteins. As cells undergo malignant transformation, they must overcome specific barriers, such as basement membranes, in order to migrate to other tissues and organs. These barriers are primarily composed of ECM proteins. It is therefore evident that the interaction between cancer cells and these ECM proteins is of critical importance in the development of malignancy. In this study, MCF7 breast cancer cells were cultivated on surfaces coated with three distinct ECM proteins: fibronectin, collagen, and laminin. Subsequently, the cells were harvested and examined to ascertain the impact of interaction with distinct ECM proteins on their molecular composition, utilising attenuated total reflection infrared spectroscopy (ATR-FTIR). The results of the study demonstrate a significant enhancement in the process of lipid biosynthesis and/or a substantial reduction in lipid degradation when cells are cultivated on collagen and fibronectin proteins. The cells grown on fibronectin exhibited a markedly elevated protein and nucleic acid content in comparison to those grown on laminin and the control cells. However, the ratio of lipids to proteins was significantly lower in cells grown on fibronectin than in the control group and in cells grown on collagen and laminin. The principal component analysis (PCA) demonstrated that there were considerable spectral discrepancies between the cells grown on ECM proteins and those not grown on ECM proteins. The experimental treatments were successfully differentiated from the control.