MCF-7

MCF-7 is a breast cancer cell line isolated in 1970 from a 69-year-old Caucasian woman. MCF-7 is the acronym of Michigan Cancer Foundation - 7, referring to the institute in Detroit where the cell line was established in 1973 by Herbert Soule and co-workers. The Michigan Cancer Foundation is now known as the Barbara Ann Karmanos Cancer Institute.

Prior to MCF-7, it was not possible for cancer researchers to obtain a mammary cell line that was capable of living longer than a few months.

The patient, whose name is unknown to the vast majority of cancer researchers, died in 1970. Her cells were the source of much of current knowledge about breast cancer. Her name was Frances Mallon and, at the time of sampling, she was a nun in the convent of the Immaculate Heart of Mary (Monroe, Michigan) under the name of Sister Catherine Frances.

MCF-7 and two other breast cancer cell lines, named T-47D et MDA-MB-231, account for more than two-thirds of all abstracts reporting studies on mentioned BCC lines, as concluded from a Medline-based survey.

Characteristics of MCF-7 cells

 * Primary tumor: invasive breast ductal carcinoma
 * Origin of cells : pleural effusion
 * Presence of estrogen receptors : yes
 * Proliferative response to estrogens : yes
 * Presence of progesterone receptors : yes
 * ERBB2 gene amplification (with Her2/neu protein overexpression) : no
 * Tumorigenicity in mice : yes, but only with estrogen supplementation
 * Phenotype : luminal epithelial

Based on references.

This cell line retained several characteristics of differentiated mammary epithelium including the ability to process estradiol via cytoplasmic estrogen receptors and the capability of forming domes.

Tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF alpha) inhibits the growth of MCF-7 breast cancer cells. Treatment with anti-estrogens can modulate the secretion of insulin-like growth factor binding proteins.

PIK3CA helical mutations were identified in MCF-7, but with low AKT activation (http://www.sanger.ac.uk/genetics/CGP/cosmic/).