Targeting of MCL-1 in breast cancer-associated fibroblasts reverses their myofibroblastic phenotype and pro-invasive properties.

Cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAF) are a major cellular component of epithelial tumors. In breast cancers in particular these stromal cells have numerous tumorigenic effects in part due to their acquisition of a myofibroblastic phenotype. Breast CAFs (bCAFs) typically express MCL-1.