Proteomic Profiling of the ECM of Xenograft Breast Cancer Metastases in Different Organs Reveals Distinct Metastatic Niches

Metastasis causes most cancer-related deaths, and one poorly understood aspect of metastatic cancer is the adaptability of cells from a primary tumor to create new niches and survive in multiple, different secondary sites. We used quantitative mass spectrometry to analyze the extracellular matrix (ECM), a critical component of metastatic niches, in metastases to the brain, lungs, liver and bone marrow, all derived from parental MDA-MB-231 triple-negative breast cancer cells. Tumor and stromal cells cooperated in forming niches; stromal cells produced predominantly core, structural ECM proteins and tumor cells produced a diverse array of ECM-associated proteins, including secreted factors and modulators of the matrix. Additionally, tumor and stromal cells together created distinct niches in each tissue. Downregulation of SERPINB1, a protein elevated in brain metastases, led to a reduction in brain metastasis, suggesting that some niche-specific ECM proteins may be involved in metastatic tropism.