CD36 plays a critical role in proliferation, migration and tamoxifen-inhibited growth of ER-positive breast cancer cells

a CD36 mRNA expression data of ERα-positive (494), Her2-positive (252) or triple-negative (255) breast cancer cases were retrieved from the gene-expression profiling dataset (#206488 from Kaplan–Meier Plot database) and divided into two groups: high CD36 and low CD36 expression in tumors. The data were then used to conduct the Kaplan–Meier analysis, respectively. RFS, the time of recurrence-free survival (month). b, c Expression of CD36 protein and mRNA in ER-positive (MCF-7, ZR-75-30 and T-47D) and ER-negative (MDA-MB-231) cell lines was determined by western blot (b) and qRT-PCR (c), respectively. d MCF-7 and MDA-MB-231 cells were transfected with control siRNA (siCtrl) or CD36 siRNA (siCD36) for 12？h. Cells were then switched to complete medium and cultured for 72？h, followed by determination of cell viability by MTT assay; *p？<？0.05 (n？=？6). e–g MCF-7 cells and MDA-MB-231 cells were transfected with siCtrl/siCD36 or pCMV/pCMV-CD36 for 12 or 6？h. After transfection and removal of dead cells, the viable cells were switched into complete medium and cultured for the indicated times, and conducted the determination of cell viability by MTT (e), apoptosis by TUNEL (f) and cell cycle by FACS assay (g); *p？<？0.05; **p？<？0.01 (n？=？6). h MCF-7 and MDA-MB-231 cells were transfected with siCtrl/siCD36 and pCMV/pCMV-CD36 for 12 and 6？h, respectively. The transfected cells were switched into complete medium and cultured for 24？h. After lifting, ~2？×？104 cells were plated onto the upper compartment of a transwell chamber and continued in culture for 24？h, followed by determination of migrated cells; *p？<？0.05 (n？=？3). i MCF-7 and MDA-MB-231 cells in 12-well plates were transfected with pCMV/pCMV-CD36 or siCtrl/siCD36 for 6 or 12？h. Cells were then switched to medium containing 2% FBS and conducted migration assay by the cell scratch test. The photos were taken at the beginning and the end of the scratch test. The width of scratching at 0？h or 24？h was recorded as W0 or W24. The migration rate was calculated as (W0？？？W24)/W0？×？100%; *p？<？0.05 (n？=？5