{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,4,13]],"date-time":"2026-04-13T13:55:04Z","timestamp":1776088504271,"version":"3.50.1"},"reference-count":78,"publisher":"MDPI AG","issue":"10","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2020,10,8]],"date-time":"2020-10-08T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1602115200000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"funder":[{"DOI":"10.13039\/501100003447","name":"State Scholarships Foundation","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","award":["MIS 5000432"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["MIS 5000432"]}],"id":[{"id":"10.13039\/501100003447","id-type":"DOI","asserted-by":"publisher"}]},{"name":"Greece and the European Union (European Regional Development Fund).","award":["MIS5033644"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["MIS5033644"]}]}],"content-domain":{"domain":[],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["Cells"],"abstract":"<jats:p>Breast cancer accounts for almost one in four cancer diagnoses in women. Studies in breast cancer patients have identified several molecular markers, indicators of aggressiveness, which help toward more individual therapeutic approaches. In triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC), epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) overexpression is associated with increased metastatic potential and worst survival rates. Specifically, abnormal EGFR activation leads to altered matrix metalloproteinases\u2019 (MMPs) expression and, hence, extracellular matrix (ECM) degradation, resulting in induced migration and invasion. The use of matrix substrates for cell culture gives the opportunity to mimic the natural growth conditions of the cells and their microenvironment, as well as cell\u2013cell and cell\u2013matrix interactions. The aim of this study was to evaluate the impact of EGFR inhibition, estrogen receptor beta (ER\u03b2) and different matrix substrates [type I collagen and fibronectin (FN)] on the functional properties, expression of MMPs and cell morphology of ER\u03b2-positive TNBC cells and shER\u03b2 ones. Our results highlight EGFR as a crucial regulator of the expression and activity levels of MMPs, while ER\u03b2 emerges as a mediator of MMP7 and MT1-MMP expression. In addition, the EGFR\/ER\u03b2 axis impacts the adhesion and invasion potential of breast cancer cells on collagen type I. Images obtained by scanning electron microscope (SEM) from cultures on the different matrix substrates revealed novel observations regarding various structures of breast cancer cells (filopodia, extravesicles, tunneling nanotubes, etc.). Moreover, the significant contribution of EGFR and ER\u03b2 in the morphological characteristics of these cells is also demonstrated, hence highlighting the possibility of dual pharmacological targeting.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.3390\/cells9102256","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2020,10,8]],"date-time":"2020-10-08T08:52:41Z","timestamp":1602147161000},"page":"2256","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/mdpi_crossmark_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":14,"title":["\u0395GFR\/ER\u03b2-Mediated Cell Morphology and Invasion Capacity Are Associated with Matrix Culture Substrates in Breast Cancer"],"prefix":"10.3390","volume":"9","author":[{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0003-4646-8736","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Konstantina","family":"Kyriakopoulou","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"Biochemistry, Biochemical Analysis &amp; Matrix Pathobiology Research Group, Laboratory of Biochemistry, Department of Chemistry, University of Patras, 26504 Patras, Greece"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Eirini","family":"Riti","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Biochemistry, Biochemical Analysis &amp; Matrix Pathobiology Research Group, Laboratory of Biochemistry, Department of Chemistry, University of Patras, 26504 Patras, Greece"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-0472-5389","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Zoi","family":"Piperigkou","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Biochemistry, Biochemical Analysis &amp; Matrix Pathobiology Research Group, Laboratory of Biochemistry, Department of Chemistry, University of Patras, 26504 Patras, Greece"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Konstantina","family":"Koutroumanou Sarri","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Biochemistry, Biochemical Analysis &amp; Matrix Pathobiology Research Group, Laboratory of Biochemistry, Department of Chemistry, University of Patras, 26504 Patras, Greece"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Heba","family":"Bassiony","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Zoology, Faculty of Science, Cairo University, Cairo 11865, Egypt"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0003-4133-3031","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Marco","family":"Franchi","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department for Life Quality Study, University of Bologna, 47921 Rimini, Italy"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0003-3618-0288","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Nikos K.","family":"Karamanos","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Biochemistry, Biochemical Analysis &amp; Matrix Pathobiology Research Group, Laboratory of Biochemistry, Department of Chemistry, University of Patras, 26504 Patras, Greece"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]}],"member":"1968","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2020,10,8]]},"reference":[{"key":"ref_1","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1941","DOI":"10.1002\/ijc.31937","article-title":"Estimating the global cancer incidence and mortality in 2018: GLOBOCAN sources and methods","volume":"144","author":"Ferlay","year":"2018","journal-title":"Int. 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