Objective:To examine the expression of VEGF, MMP-1, and CXCR4 in breast cancer stem cells and its significance.
Methods :Flow cytometry was employed to separate breast cancer stem cells from MCF-7 cell. Then the expression of VEGF, MMP-1, and CXCR4 was detected by PCR in different subsets of cells.
Results:Compared with the non-stem cells of breast cancer, the expression of VEGF, MMP-1, and CXCR4 in breast cancer stem cells was significantly higher, but the expression of MMP-1 was not different.
Conclusions:The breast cancer stem cells could achieve increased metastasis ability by enhanced expression of VEGF and CXCR4, which are the key factors in metastasis of breast cancer.