12-O-Tetradecanoylphorbol 13-acetate promotes proliferation and epithelial–mesenchymal transition in HHUA cells cultured on collagen type I gel: A feasible model to find new therapies for endometrial diseases

HHUA endometrial adenocarcinoma cells aggregated into spheroids when cultured on collagen type I gels. 12-O-Tetradecanoylphorbol 13-acetate, a PKC activator, disassembled the spheroids through epithelial-mesenchymal transition and increased their proliferation rate, while inducing cell death under monolayer culture conditions. These unusual behaviors of endometrial epithelial cells with collagen fibers could be a target for the treatment of some endometrial diseases.