Fig 2: The heat inactivation assay coupled with the enzymatic treatment of the CM of CD36+ FBs indicates that proteins are likely to be involved in growth suppression. The cell count, on day 7, was quantified as a result of exposure to the boiled CM (i) by itself (third bar from right), (ii) with DNase, and (iii) with RNase. ** p < 0.001.

Fig 3: Differential profiling between the CM of CD36+ and CD36− FBs identifies 187 proteins with p-values of less than 0.05.

Fig 4: Exposure to the CM of CD36+ FBs increases the frequency of apoptotic cells. (A,C) PI staining indicated a higher frequency of cell death with exposure to the CM of CD36+ FBs. (B) Cleaved caspase-3 staining was monitored with fluorescent microscopy. (C,D) Inducer and inhibitor of apoptosis pathway enabled the selection of a threshold for quantitative analysis. In both cases, the frequencies of apoptotic cells, as the result of exposure to the CM of CD36+ FB, were the same as the treatment with apoptosis inducer. * p < 0.05, ** p < 0.001.

Fig 5: The 3D growth of MDA-MB-231 is suppressed as a result of exposure to the CM from CD36+ FBs. (A) The number of cells (DAPI) and their proliferation status (Ki67) is monitored and visualized by fluorescent microscopy under control and exposure to the CM from normal, CD36+, or CD36− FBs. (B) The number of cells was quantified for each condition based on the nuclear counterstain. (C) Frequency of low and high expressing Ki67 cells was quantified for each condition. For (B,C), quantitative data were normalized to control (untreated cells). ** p < 0.001.