Paracrine TGF-β1 from breast cancer contributes to chemoresistance in cancer associated fibroblasts via upregulation of the p44/42 MAPK signaling pathway

•Breast cancer conditioned media transforms normal fibroblasts to CAFs.•Chemoresistant breast cancer cells show elevated expression of TGF-β1, compared to parental counterpart.•TGF-β1 augmented the expression of EMT markers in CAFs with the reduction in E-cadherin.•TGF-β1, an important cytokine released from chemoresistant breast cancer cells induces chemoresistance in CAFs through the p44/42 MAPK pathway.•A novel therapeutic target aimed at TGF-β1 and p44/42 MAPK axis has been deciphered to culminate therapeutic resistance in CAFs.