Benzo[a]pyrene promotes an epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition process in MCF10A cells and mammary tumor growth and brain metastasis in female mice

Breast cancer is the most frequent neoplasia in developed countries and the leading cause of death in women worldwide. Epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT) is a cellular process through which epithelial cells decrease or lose their epithelial characteristics and gain mesenchymal properties. EMT mediates tumor progression, because tumor cells acquire the capacity to execute the multiple steps of invasion and metastasis. Benzo[a]pyrene (B[a]P) is an environmental organic pollutant generated during the burning of fossil fuels, wood, and other organic materials. B[a]P exposition increases the incidence of breast cancer, and induces migration and/or invasion in MDA-MB-231 and MCF-7 breast cancer cells. However, the role of B[a]P in the induction of an EMT process and metastasis of mammary carcinoma cells has not been studied in detail. In this study, we demonstrate that B[a]P induces an EMT process in MCF10A mammary non-tumorigenic epithelial cells. In addition, B[a]P promotes the formation of larger tumors in Balb/cJ mice inoculated with 4T1 cells than in untreated mice and treated with dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO). B[a]P also increases the number of mice with metastasis to brain and the total number of brain metastatic nodules in Balb/cJ mice inoculated with 4T1 cells compared with untreated mice and treated with DMSO. In conclusion, B[a]P induces an EMT process in MCF10A cells and the growth of mammary tumors and metastasis to brain in Balb/cJ mice inoculated with 4T1 cells.