Murine breast cancer feed arteries are thin-walled with reduced α-adrenoceptor expression and attenuated sympathetic vasocontraction.

Background: Perfusion of breast cancer tissue limits oxygen availability and metabolism but angiogenesis inhibitors have hitherto been unsuccessful for breast cancer therapy. In order to identify abnormalities and possible therapeutic targets in mature cancer arteries, we here characterize the structure and function of cancer feed arteries and corresponding control arteries from female FVB/N mice with ErbB2-induced breast cancer.

Methods: We investigated the contractile function of breast cancer feed arteries and matched control arteries by isometric myography and evaluated membrane potentials and intracellular [Ca] using sharp electrodes and fluorescence microscopy, respectively.