Differential expression of cancer-related genes by single and permanent exposure to bone morphogenetic protein 2

Purpose Bone morphogenetic proteins (BMPs) are multifunctional regulators of various cell functions. The BMP-signalling network plays a pivotal role during embryogenesis and tumorigenesis. BMPs, e.g. BMP-2 exert their biological function in a time and concentration-dependent manner but also modulated by the context of the cellular microenvironment. In this study, we investigated the effect of a steady high level of BMP-2 versus a single application of BMP-2 on the breast cancer cell line MCF-7.