301
|
Nguyen DH, Oketch-Rabah HA, Illa-Bochaca I, Geyer FC, Reis-Filho JS, Mao JH, Ravani SA, Zavadil J, Borowsky AD, Jerry DJ, Dunphy KA, Seo JH, Haslam S, Medina D, Barcellos-Hoff MH. Radiation acts on the microenvironment to affect breast carcinogenesis by distinct mechanisms that decrease cancer latency and affect tumor type. Cancer Cell 2011; 19:640-51. [PMID: 21575864 PMCID: PMC3110779 DOI: 10.1016/j.ccr.2011.03.011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 120] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/14/2010] [Revised: 11/23/2010] [Accepted: 03/15/2011] [Indexed: 01/15/2023]
Abstract
Tissue microenvironment is an important determinant of carcinogenesis. We demonstrate that ionizing radiation, a known carcinogen, affects cancer frequency and characteristics by acting on the microenvironment. Using a mammary chimera model in which an irradiated host is transplanted with oncogenic Trp53 null epithelium, we show accelerated development of aggressive tumors whose molecular signatures were distinct from tumors arising in nonirradiated hosts. Molecular and genetic approaches show that TGFβ mediated tumor acceleration. Tumor molecular signatures implicated TGFβ, and genetically reducing TGFβ abrogated the effect on latency. Surprisingly, tumors from irradiated hosts were predominantly estrogen receptor negative. This effect was TGFβ independent and linked to mammary stem cell activity. Thus, the irradiated microenvironment affects latency and clinically relevant features of cancer through distinct and unexpected mechanisms.
Collapse
MESH Headings
- Animals
- Breast Neoplasms/etiology
- Breast Neoplasms/genetics
- Breast Neoplasms/metabolism
- Breast Neoplasms/pathology
- Cell Transformation, Neoplastic/radiation effects
- Dose-Response Relationship, Radiation
- Epithelial Cells/metabolism
- Epithelial Cells/pathology
- Epithelial Cells/radiation effects
- Epithelial Cells/transplantation
- Female
- Gene Expression Profiling
- Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic
- Gene Regulatory Networks
- Mammary Glands, Animal/metabolism
- Mammary Glands, Animal/pathology
- Mammary Glands, Animal/radiation effects
- Mammary Glands, Animal/transplantation
- Mice
- Mice, Inbred BALB C
- Mice, Knockout
- Neoplasms, Radiation-Induced/etiology
- Neoplasms, Radiation-Induced/genetics
- Neoplasms, Radiation-Induced/metabolism
- Neoplasms, Radiation-Induced/pathology
- Radiation Chimera
- Reaction Time
- Receptors, Estrogen/deficiency
- Time Factors
- Transforming Growth Factor beta1/genetics
- Transforming Growth Factor beta1/metabolism
- Tumor Burden
- Tumor Microenvironment/radiation effects
- Tumor Suppressor Protein p53/deficiency
- Tumor Suppressor Protein p53/genetics
- Whole-Body Irradiation
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- David H. Nguyen
- Life Sciences Division, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, 1 Cyclotron Road, Berkeley, CA 94720
- Department of Radiation Oncology and Cell Biology, New York University School of Medicine, 566 First Avenue, New York, NY 10016
| | - Hellen A. Oketch-Rabah
- Life Sciences Division, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, 1 Cyclotron Road, Berkeley, CA 94720
| | - Irineu Illa-Bochaca
- Department of Radiation Oncology and Cell Biology, New York University School of Medicine, 566 First Avenue, New York, NY 10016
| | - Felipe C. Geyer
- Molecular Pathology Laboratory, The Breakthrough Breast Cancer Research Centre, Institute of Cancer Research, London, SW3 6JB Great Britain
| | - Jorge S. Reis-Filho
- Molecular Pathology Laboratory, The Breakthrough Breast Cancer Research Centre, Institute of Cancer Research, London, SW3 6JB Great Britain
| | - Jian-Hua Mao
- Life Sciences Division, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, 1 Cyclotron Road, Berkeley, CA 94720
| | - Shraddha A. Ravani
- Life Sciences Division, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, 1 Cyclotron Road, Berkeley, CA 94720
| | - Jiri Zavadil
- Department of Pathology, NYU Cancer Institute and Center for Health Informatics and Bioinformatics, NYU Langone Medical Center, New York, NY 10016
| | - Alexander D. Borowsky
- Center for Comparative Medicine, Department of Medical Pathology, University of California, Davis, CA
| | - D. Joseph Jerry
- Pioneer Valley Life Sciences Institute, Springfield, MA 01199
| | - Karen A. Dunphy
- Pioneer Valley Life Sciences Institute, Springfield, MA 01199
| | - Jae Hong Seo
- University of Massachusetts, Integrated Sciences Building, Amherst, MA 01003
| | - Sandra Haslam
- Department of Physiology, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI 42284
| | - Daniel Medina
- Baylor College of Medicine, One Baylor Plaza, Cullen 135C, Houston, TX 77030
| | - Mary Helen Barcellos-Hoff
- Department of Radiation Oncology and Cell Biology, New York University School of Medicine, 566 First Avenue, New York, NY 10016
- Corresponding author: Mary Helen Barcellos-Hoff, Department of Radiation Oncology, 566 First Avenue, New York University School of Medicine, New York, NY 10016 (212) 263-3021;
| |
Collapse
|
302
|
Tao L, Roberts AL, Dunphy KA, Bigelow C, Yan H, Jerry DJ. Repression of mammary stem/progenitor cells by p53 is mediated by Notch and separable from apoptotic activity. Stem Cells 2011; 29:119-27. [PMID: 21280161 DOI: 10.1002/stem.552] [Citation(s) in RCA: 54] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Breast cancer is the most common tumor among women with inherited mutations in the p53 gene (Li-Fraumeni syndrome). The tumors represent the basal-like subtype, which has been suggested to originate from mammary stem/progenitor cells. In mouse mammary epithelium, mammosphere-forming potential was increased with decreased dosage of the gene encoding the p53 tumor suppressor protein (Trp53). Limiting dilution transplantation also showed a 3.3-fold increase in the frequency of long-term regenerative mammary stem cells in Trp53-/- mice. The repression of mammospheres by p53 was apparent despite the absence of apoptotic responses to radiation indicating a dissociation of these two activities of p53. The effects of p53 on progenitor cells were also observed in TM40A cells using both mammosphere-forming assays and the DsRed-let7c-sensor. The frequency of long-term label-retaining epithelial cells was decreased in Trp53-/- mammary glands indicating that asymmetric segregation of DNA is diminished and contributes to the expansion of the mammary stem cells. Treatment with an inhibitor of γ-secretase (N-[N-(3,5-difluorophenacetyl)-L-alanyl]-S-phenylglycine t-butyl ester) reduced the number of Trp53-/- mammospheres to the level found in Trp53+/+ cells. These results demonstrate that basal levels of p53 restrict mammary stem/progenitor cells through Notch and that the Notch pathway is a therapeutic target to prevent expansion of this vulnerable pool of cells.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Luwei Tao
- Molecular and Cellular Biology Program, University of Massachusetts-Amherst, Massachusetts, USA
| | | | | | | | | | | |
Collapse
|
303
|
Asselin-Labat ML, Lindeman GJ, Visvader JE. Mammary stem cells and their regulation by steroid hormones. Expert Rev Endocrinol Metab 2011; 6:371-381. [PMID: 30754117 DOI: 10.1586/eem.11.22] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/28/2022]
Abstract
Sustained exposure to estrogen and progesterone is a well-established risk factor for breast cancer. These hormones play a central role in the female reproductive cycle, in which they control morphogenesis of the mammary gland during puberty, ovulatory cycles and pregnancy. Mouse mammary stem cells (MaSCs) have recently been discovered to be highly responsive to female hormones, despite lacking expression of the estrogen and progesterone receptors. The inhibition of MaSCs by hormone receptor antagonists further suggests that these cells contribute to oncogenesis. Identification of paracrine mediators of hormone signaling to MaSCs may lead to the development of novel inhibitors that drive MaSCs into a more quiescent state. In this context, inhibition of the receptor activator of NF-κB/receptor activator of NF-κB ligand signaling pathway has profound implications for the prevention of breast cancer.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Marie-Liesse Asselin-Labat
- a Stem Cells and Cancer Division, The Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research, Melbourne, VIC 3052, Australia
- b Department of Medical Biology, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC 3010, Australia
| | - Geoffrey J Lindeman
- a Stem Cells and Cancer Division, The Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research, Melbourne, VIC 3052, Australia
- c Department of Medical Oncology, Royal Melbourne Hospital, Melbourne, VIC 3050, Australia
- d Department of Medicine, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC 3010, Australia
| | - Jane E Visvader
- a Stem Cells and Cancer Division, The Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research, Melbourne, VIC 3052, Australia
- b Department of Medical Biology, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC 3010, Australia
- e
| |
Collapse
|
304
|
Li H, Solomon E, Duhachek Muggy S, Sun D, Zolkiewska A. Metalloprotease-disintegrin ADAM12 expression is regulated by Notch signaling via microRNA-29. J Biol Chem 2011; 286:21500-10. [PMID: 21518768 DOI: 10.1074/jbc.m110.207951] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/06/2022] Open
Abstract
Metalloprotease-disintegrin ADAM12 is overexpressed and frequently mutated in breast cancer. We report here that ADAM12 expression in cultured mammalian cells is up-regulated by Notch signals. Expression of a constitutively active form of Notch1 in murine fibroblasts, myoblasts, or mammary epithelial cells or activation of the endogenous Notch signaling by co-culture with ligand-expressing cells increases ADAM12 protein and mRNA levels. Up-regulation of ADAM12 expression by Notch requires new transcription, is activated in a CSL-dependent manner, and is abolished upon inhibition of IκB kinase. Expression of a constitutively active Notch1 in NIH3T3 cells increases the stability of Adam12 mRNA. We further show that the microRNA-29 family, which has a predicted conserved site in the 3'-untranslated region of mouse Adam12, plays a critical role in mediating the stimulatory effect of Notch on ADAM12 expression. In human cells, Notch up-regulates the expression of the long form, but not the short form, of ADAM12 containing a divergent 3'-untranslated mRNA region. These studies uncover a novel paradigm in Notch signaling and establish Adam12 as a Notch-related gene.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Hui Li
- Department of Biochemistry, Kansas State University, Manhattan, Kansas 66506, USA
| | | | | | | | | |
Collapse
|
305
|
Khialeeva E, Lane TF, Carpenter EM. Disruption of reelin signaling alters mammary gland morphogenesis. Development 2011; 138:767-76. [PMID: 21266412 DOI: 10.1242/dev.057588] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
Reelin signaling is required for appropriate cell migration and ductal patterning during mammary gland morphogenesis. Dab1, an intracellular adaptor protein activated in response to reelin signaling, is expressed in the developing mammary bud and in luminal epithelial cells in the adult gland. Reelin protein is expressed in a complementary pattern, first in the epithelium overlying the mammary bud during embryogenesis and then in the myoepithelium and periductal stroma in the adult. Deletion in mouse of either reelin or Dab1 induced alterations in the development of the ductal network, including significant retardation in ductal elongation, decreased terminal branching, and thickening and disorganization of the luminal wall. At later stages, some mutant glands overcame these early delays, but went on to exhibit enlarged and chaotic ductal morphologies and decreased terminal branching: these phenotypes are suggestive of a role for reelin in spatial patterning or structural organization of the mammary epithelium. Isolated mammary epithelial cells exhibited decreased migration in response to exogenous reelin in vitro, a response that required Dab1. These observations highlight a role for reelin signaling in the directed migration of mammary epithelial cells driving ductal elongation into the mammary fat pad and provide the first evidence that reelin signaling may be crucial for regulating the migration and organization of non-neural tissues.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Elvira Khialeeva
- Department of Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Science, UCLA School of Medicine, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA
| | | | | |
Collapse
|
306
|
Abstract
Both solid tumours and leukaemias show considerable histological and functional heterogeneity. It is widely accepted that genetic lesions have a major role in determining tumour phenotype, but evidence is also accumulating that cancers of distinct subtypes within an organ may derive from different 'cells of origin'. These cells acquire the first genetic hit or hits that culminate in the initiation of cancer. The identification of these crucial target cell populations may allow earlier detection of malignancies and better prediction of tumour behaviour, and ultimately may lead to preventive therapies for individuals at high risk of developing cancer.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Jane E Visvader
- Stem Cells and Cancer Division, The Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research, Parkville, Victoria 3052, Australia.
| |
Collapse
|
307
|
Visvader JE, Smith GH. Murine mammary epithelial stem cells: discovery, function, and current status. Cold Spring Harb Perspect Biol 2011; 3:cshperspect.a004879. [PMID: 20926515 DOI: 10.1101/cshperspect.a004879] [Citation(s) in RCA: 66] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/30/2022]
Abstract
An entire mammary epithelial outgrowth, capable of full secretory differentiation, may comprise the progeny of a single cellular antecedent, i.e., may be generated from a single mammary epithelial stem cell. Early studies showed that any portion of an intact murine mammary gland containing epithelium could recapitulate an entire mammary epithelial tree on transplantation into an epithelium-free mammary fat pad. More recent studies have shown that a hierarchy of mammary stem/progenitor cells exists among the mammary epithelium and that their behavior and maintenance is dependent on signals generated both locally and systemically. In this review, we have attempted to develop the scientific saga surrounding the discovery and characterization of the murine mammary stem/progenitor cell hierarchy and to suggest further approaches that will enhance our knowledge and understanding of these cells and their role in both normal development and neoplasia.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Jane E Visvader
- Stem Cells and Cancer Division, The Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research, 1G Royal Parade, Parkville, VIC 3050, Australia
| | | |
Collapse
|
308
|
Liu Z, Turkoz A, Jackson EN, Corbo JC, Engelbach JA, Garbow JR, Piwnica-Worms DR, Kopan R. Notch1 loss of heterozygosity causes vascular tumors and lethal hemorrhage in mice. J Clin Invest 2011; 121:800-8. [PMID: 21266774 PMCID: PMC3026721 DOI: 10.1172/jci43114] [Citation(s) in RCA: 99] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/24/2010] [Accepted: 11/03/2010] [Indexed: 12/29/2022] Open
Abstract
The role of the Notch signaling pathway in tumor development is complex, with Notch1 functioning either as an oncogene or as a tumor suppressor in a context-dependent manner. To further define the role of Notch1 in tumor development, we systematically surveyed for tumor suppressor activity of Notch1 in vivo. We combined the previously described Notch1 intramembrane proteolysis-Cre (Nip1::Cre) allele with a floxed Notch1 allele to create a mouse model for sporadic, low-frequency loss of Notch1 heterozygosity. Through this approach, we determined the cell types most affected by Notch1 loss. We report that the loss of Notch1 caused widespread vascular tumors and organism lethality secondary to massive hemorrhage. These findings reflected a cell-autonomous role for Notch1 in suppressing neoplasia in the vascular system and provide a model by which to explore the mechanism of neoplastic transformation of endothelial cells. Importantly, these results raise concerns regarding the safety of chronic application of drugs targeting the Notch pathway, specifically those targeting Notch1, because of mechanism-based toxicity in the endothelium. Our strategy also can be broadly applied to induce sporadic in vivo loss of heterozygosity of any conditional alleles in progenitors that experience Notch1 activation.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Zhenyi Liu
- Department of Developmental Biology,
Molecular Imaging Center, Mallinckrodt Institute of Radiology,
BRIGHT Institute,
Department of Pathology and Immunology,
Biomedical MR Laboratory, Department of Radiology, and
Division of Dermatology, Department of Medicine, Washington University in St. Louis School of Medicine, St. Louis, Missouri, USA
| | - Ahu Turkoz
- Department of Developmental Biology,
Molecular Imaging Center, Mallinckrodt Institute of Radiology,
BRIGHT Institute,
Department of Pathology and Immunology,
Biomedical MR Laboratory, Department of Radiology, and
Division of Dermatology, Department of Medicine, Washington University in St. Louis School of Medicine, St. Louis, Missouri, USA
| | - Erin N. Jackson
- Department of Developmental Biology,
Molecular Imaging Center, Mallinckrodt Institute of Radiology,
BRIGHT Institute,
Department of Pathology and Immunology,
Biomedical MR Laboratory, Department of Radiology, and
Division of Dermatology, Department of Medicine, Washington University in St. Louis School of Medicine, St. Louis, Missouri, USA
| | - Joseph C. Corbo
- Department of Developmental Biology,
Molecular Imaging Center, Mallinckrodt Institute of Radiology,
BRIGHT Institute,
Department of Pathology and Immunology,
Biomedical MR Laboratory, Department of Radiology, and
Division of Dermatology, Department of Medicine, Washington University in St. Louis School of Medicine, St. Louis, Missouri, USA
| | - John A. Engelbach
- Department of Developmental Biology,
Molecular Imaging Center, Mallinckrodt Institute of Radiology,
BRIGHT Institute,
Department of Pathology and Immunology,
Biomedical MR Laboratory, Department of Radiology, and
Division of Dermatology, Department of Medicine, Washington University in St. Louis School of Medicine, St. Louis, Missouri, USA
| | - Joel R. Garbow
- Department of Developmental Biology,
Molecular Imaging Center, Mallinckrodt Institute of Radiology,
BRIGHT Institute,
Department of Pathology and Immunology,
Biomedical MR Laboratory, Department of Radiology, and
Division of Dermatology, Department of Medicine, Washington University in St. Louis School of Medicine, St. Louis, Missouri, USA
| | - David R. Piwnica-Worms
- Department of Developmental Biology,
Molecular Imaging Center, Mallinckrodt Institute of Radiology,
BRIGHT Institute,
Department of Pathology and Immunology,
Biomedical MR Laboratory, Department of Radiology, and
Division of Dermatology, Department of Medicine, Washington University in St. Louis School of Medicine, St. Louis, Missouri, USA
| | - Raphael Kopan
- Department of Developmental Biology,
Molecular Imaging Center, Mallinckrodt Institute of Radiology,
BRIGHT Institute,
Department of Pathology and Immunology,
Biomedical MR Laboratory, Department of Radiology, and
Division of Dermatology, Department of Medicine, Washington University in St. Louis School of Medicine, St. Louis, Missouri, USA
| |
Collapse
|
309
|
Visbal AP, LaMarca HL, Villanueva H, Toneff MJ, Li Y, Rosen JM, Lewis MT. Altered differentiation and paracrine stimulation of mammary epithelial cell proliferation by conditionally activated Smoothened. Dev Biol 2011; 352:116-27. [PMID: 21276786 DOI: 10.1016/j.ydbio.2011.01.025] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/11/2010] [Revised: 01/14/2011] [Accepted: 01/19/2011] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
Abstract
The Hedgehog (Hh) signaling network is critical for patterning and organogenesis in mammals, and has been implicated in a variety of cancers. Smoothened (Smo), the gene encoding the principal signal transducer, is overexpressed frequently in breast cancer, and constitutive activation in MMTV-SmoM2 transgenic mice caused alterations in mammary gland morphology, increased proliferation, and changes in stem/progenitor cell number. Both in transgenic mice and in clinical specimens, proliferative cells did not usually express detectable Smo, suggesting the hypothesis that Smo functioned in a non-cell autonomous manner to stimulate proliferation. Here, we employed a genetically tagged mouse model carrying a Cre-recombinase-dependent conditional allele of constitutively active Smo (SmoM2) to test this hypothesis. MMTV-Cre- or adenoviral-Cre-mediated SmoM2 expression in the luminal epithelium, but not in the myoepithelium, was required for the hyper-proliferative phenotypes. High levels of proliferation were observed in cells adjacent or in close-proximity to Smo expressing cells demonstrating that SmoM2 expressing cells were stimulating proliferation via a paracrine or juxtacrine mechanism. In contrast, Smo expression altered luminal cell differentiation in a cell-autonomous manner. SmoM2 expressing cells, purified by fluorescence activated cell sorting (FACS) via the genetic fluorescent tag, expressed high levels of Ptch2, Gli1, Gli2, Jag2 and Dll-1, and lower levels of Notch4 and Hes6, in comparison to wildtype cells. These studies provide insight into the mechanism of Smo activation in the mammary gland and its possible roles in breast tumorigenesis. In addition, these results also have potential implications for the interpretation of proliferative phenotypes commonly observed in other organs as a consequence of hedgehog signaling activation.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Adriana P Visbal
- Program in Developmental Biology Baylor College of Medicine, One Baylor Plaza, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Collapse
|
310
|
From milk to malignancy: the role of mammary stem cells in development, pregnancy and breast cancer. Cell Res 2011; 21:245-57. [PMID: 21243011 DOI: 10.1038/cr.2011.11] [Citation(s) in RCA: 75] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Adult stem cells of the mammary gland (MaSCs) are a highly dynamic population of cells that are responsible for the generation of the gland during puberty and its expansion during pregnancy. In recent years significant advances have been made in understanding how these cells are regulated during these developmentally important processes both in humans and in mice. Understanding how MaSCs are regulated is becoming a particularly important area of research, given that they may be particularly susceptible targets for transformation in breast cancer. Here, we summarize the identification of MaSCs, how they are regulated and the evidence for their serving as the origins of breast cancer. In particular, we focus on how changes in MaSC populations may explain both the increased risk of developing aggressive ER/PR(-) breast cancer shortly after pregnancy and the long-term decreased risk of developing ER/PR(+) tumors.
Collapse
|
311
|
Chen T, Yuan D, Wei B, Jiang J, Kang J, Ling K, Gu Y, Li J, Xiao L, Pei G. E-cadherin-mediated cell-cell contact is critical for induced pluripotent stem cell generation. Stem Cells 2011; 28:1315-25. [PMID: 20521328 DOI: 10.1002/stem.456] [Citation(s) in RCA: 184] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/11/2022]
Abstract
The low efficiency of reprogramming and genomic integration of virus vectors obscure the potential application of induced pluripotent stem (iPS) cells; therefore, identification of chemicals and cooperative factors that may improve the generation of iPS cells will be of great value. Moreover, the cellular mechanisms that limit the reprogramming efficiency need to be investigated. Through screening a chemical library, we found that two chemicals reported to upregulate E-cadherin considerably increase the reprogramming efficiency. Further study of the process indicated that E-cadherin is upregulated during reprogramming and the established iPS cells possess E-cadherin-mediated cell-cell contact, morphologically indistinguishable from embryonic stem (ES) cells. Our experiments also demonstrate that overexpression of E-cadherin significantly enhances reprogramming efficiency, whereas knockdown of endogenous E-cadherin reduces the efficiency. Consistently, abrogation of cell-cell contact by the inhibitory peptide or the neutralizing antibody against the extracellular domain of E-cadherin compromises iPS cell generation. Further mechanistic study reveals that adhesive binding activity of E-cadherin is required. Our results highlight the critical role of E-cadherin-mediated cell-cell contact in reprogramming and suggest new routes for more efficient iPS cell generation.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Taotao Chen
- Laboratory of Molecular Cell Biology, Institute of Biochemistry and Cell Biology, Shanghai Institutes for Biological Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, China
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Collapse
|
312
|
Pece S, Confalonieri S, R Romano P, Di Fiore PP. NUMB-ing down cancer by more than just a NOTCH. BIOCHIMICA ET BIOPHYSICA ACTA 2011; 1815:26-43. [PMID: 20940030 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbcan.2010.10.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 87] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/09/2010] [Revised: 09/30/2010] [Accepted: 10/02/2010] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
The protein Numb does not live up to its name. This passive-sounding protein is anything but spent. Originally identified as a cell-fate determinant in Drosophila development, Numb received a good deal of attention as an inhibitor of the Notch receptor signaling pathway. It turns out, however, that Numb does a lot more than simply regulate Notch. It has been implicated in a variety of biochemical pathways connected with signaling (it regulates Notch-, Hedgehog- and TP53-activated pathways), endocytosis (it is involved in cargo internalization and recycling), determination of polarity (it interacts with the PAR complex, and regulates adherens and tight junctions), and ubiquitination (it exploits this mechanism to regulate protein function and stability). This complex biochemical network lies at the heart of Numb's involvement in diverse cellular phenotypes, including cell fate developmental decisions, maintenance of stem cell compartments, regulation of cell polarity and adhesion, and migration. Considering its multifaceted role in cellular homeostasis, it is not surprising that Numb has been implicated in cancer as a tumor suppressor. Our major goal here is to explain the cancer-related role of Numb based on our understanding of its role in cell physiology. We will attempt to do this by reviewing the present knowledge of Numb at the biochemical and functional level, and by integrating its apparently heterogeneous functions into a unifying scenario, based on our recently proposed concept of the "endocytic matrix". Finally, we will discuss the role of Numb in the maintenance of the normal stem cell compartment, as a starting point to interpret the tumor suppressor function of Numb in the context of the cancer stem cell hypothesis.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Salvatore Pece
- Fondazione Istituto FIRC di Oncologia Molecolare, Via Adamello 16, 20139, Milan, Italy
| | | | | | | |
Collapse
|
313
|
Vafaizadeh V, Klemmt P, Brendel C, Weber K, Doebele C, Britt K, Grez M, Fehse B, Desriviéres S, Groner B. Mammary epithelial reconstitution with gene-modified stem cells assigns roles to Stat5 in luminal alveolar cell fate decisions, differentiation, involution, and mammary tumor formation. Stem Cells 2010; 28:928-38. [PMID: 20235097 DOI: 10.1002/stem.407] [Citation(s) in RCA: 63] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/10/2022]
Abstract
The mammary gland represents a unique model system to study gene functions in adult stem cells. Mammary stem cells (MaSCs) can regenerate a functional epithelium on transplantation into cleared fat pads. We studied the consequences of distinct genetic modifications of MaSCs on their repopulation and differentiation ability. The reconstitution of ductal trees was used as a stem cell selection procedure and the nearly quantitative lentiviral infection efficiency of the primary mammary epithelial cells (MECs) rendered the enrichment of MaSCs before their transplantation unnecessary. The repopulation frequency of transduced MaSCs was nearly 100% in immunodeficient recipients and the resulting transgenic ducts homogeneously expressed the virally encoded fluorescent marker proteins. Transplantation of a mixture of MECs, expressing different fluorescent proteins, resulted in a distinct pattern of ductal outgrowths originating from a small number of individually transduced MaSCs. We used genetically modified MECs to define multiple functions of Stat5 during mammary gland development and differentiation. Stat5-downregulation in MaSCs did not affect primary ductal outgrowth, but impaired side branching and the emergence of mature alveolar cells from luminal progenitors during pregnancy. Conversely, the expression of a constitutively active variant of Stat5 (cS5-F) caused epithelial hyperproliferation, thickening of the ducts and precocious, functional alveoli formation in virgin mice. Expression of cS5-F also prevented involution and caused the formation of estrogen and progesterone receptor positive (ER(+)PR(+)) adenocarcinomas. The tumors expressed activated Stat5 and Stat3 and contained a small fraction of CD44(+) cells, possibly indicative of cancer stem cells.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Vida Vafaizadeh
- Georg Speyer Haus, Institute for Biomedical Research, 60596 Frankfurt am Main, Germany
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Collapse
|
314
|
Zeng YA, Nusse R. Wnt proteins are self-renewal factors for mammary stem cells and promote their long-term expansion in culture. Cell Stem Cell 2010; 6:568-77. [PMID: 20569694 PMCID: PMC2917779 DOI: 10.1016/j.stem.2010.03.020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 317] [Impact Index Per Article: 22.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/19/2009] [Revised: 02/19/2010] [Accepted: 03/05/2010] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Adult stem cells have the ability to self-renew and to generate specialized cells. Self-renewal is dependent on extrinsic niche factors but few of those signals have been identified. In addition, stem cells tend to differentiate in the absence of the proper signals and are therefore difficult to maintain in cell culture. The mammary gland provides an excellent system to study self-renewal signals, because the organ develops postnatally, arises from stem cells, and is readily generated from transplanted cells. We show here that adult mammary glands contain a Wnt-responsive cell population that is enriched for stem cells. In addition, stem cells mutant for the negative-feedback regulator Axin2 and therefore sensitized to Wnt signals have a competitive advantage in mammary gland reconstitution assays. In cell culture experiments, exposure to purified Wnt protein clonally expands mammary stem cells for many generations and maintains their ability to generate functional glands in transplantation assays. We conclude that Wnt proteins serve as rate-limiting self-renewal signals acting directly on mammary stem cells.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Yi Arial Zeng
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Department of Developmental Biology, Stanford University, School of Medicine, Stanford, CA 94305-5323, USA
| | | |
Collapse
|
315
|
Harrison H, Farnie G, Brennan KR, Clarke RB. Breast cancer stem cells: something out of notching? Cancer Res 2010; 70:8973-6. [PMID: 21045140 DOI: 10.1158/0008-5472.can-10-1559] [Citation(s) in RCA: 63] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
We and others have established that the developmental Notch receptor signaling pathway is active in breast cancer cell lines, as well as in preinvasive and invasive primary samples. Recently, a role for Notch in regulating the hierarchy of stem and progenitor cells in both normal and cancer epithelium has been elucidated. Because inhibiting the Notch receptor signaling pathway is a possible future breast cancer therapy, here, we review the expression and activity of the different ligands and receptors and summarize the various ways in which the pathway's activity can be inhibited, and the likely effects of inhibition on different tumor cell subpopulations.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Hannah Harrison
- Breast Biology Group, School of Cancer and Enabling Sciences, Paterson Institute for Cancer Research, University of Manchester;, Manchester, United Kingdom
| | | | | | | |
Collapse
|
316
|
Muschler J, Streuli CH. Cell-matrix interactions in mammary gland development and breast cancer. Cold Spring Harb Perspect Biol 2010; 2:a003202. [PMID: 20702598 PMCID: PMC2944360 DOI: 10.1101/cshperspect.a003202] [Citation(s) in RCA: 119] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
The mammary gland is an organ that at once gives life to the young, but at the same time poses one of the greatest threats to the mother. Understanding how the tissue develops and functions is of pressing importance in determining how its control mechanisms break down in breast cancer. Here we argue that the interactions between mammary epithelial cells and their extracellular matrix (ECM) are crucial in the development and function of the tissue. Current strategies for treating breast cancer take advantage of our knowledge of the endocrine regulation of breast development, and the emerging role of stromal-epithelial interactions (Fig. 1). Focusing, in addition, on the microenvironmental influences that arise from cell-matrix interactions will open new opportunities for therapeutic intervention. We suggest that ultimately a three-pronged approach targeting endocrine, growth factor, and cell-matrix interactions will provide the best chance of curing the disease.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- John Muschler
- California Pacific Medical Center Research Institute, San Francisco, California 94107, USA
| | | |
Collapse
|
317
|
Hebbard LW, Maurer J, Miller A, Lesperance J, Hassell J, Oshima RG, Terskikh AV. Maternal embryonic leucine zipper kinase is upregulated and required in mammary tumor-initiating cells in vivo. Cancer Res 2010; 70:8863-73. [PMID: 20861186 DOI: 10.1158/0008-5472.can-10-1295] [Citation(s) in RCA: 72] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
Maternal embryonic leucine zipper kinase (MELK) is expressed in several developing tissues, in the adult germ line, and in adult neural progenitors. MELK expression is elevated in aggressive undifferentiated tumors, correlating with poor patient outcome in human breast cancer. To investigate the role of MELK in mammary tumorigenesis in vivo, we used a MELK-green fluorescent protein (GFP) reporter mouse, which allows prospective isolation of MELK-expressing cells based on GFP fluorescence. We found that in the normal mammary gland, cells expressing high levels of MELK were enriched in proliferating cells that express markers of mammary progenitors. The isolation of cells with high levels of MELK in mammary tumors from MMTV-Wnt1/MELK-GFP bitransgenic mice resulted in a significant enrichment of tumorsphere formation in culture and tumor initiation after transplantation into mammary fat pads of syngeneic mice. Furthermore, using lentiviral delivery of MELK-specific shRNA and limiting dilution cell transplantations, we showed that MELK function is required for mammary tumorigenesis in vivo. Our findings identify MELK as a potential target in breast tumor-initiating cells.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Lionel W Hebbard
- Tumor Development Program, Cancer Research Center, Sanford-Burnham Medical Research Institute, La Jolla, California 92037, USA
| | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Collapse
|
318
|
Zardawi SJ, Zardawi I, McNeil CM, Millar EKA, McLeod D, Morey AL, Crea P, Murphy NC, Pinese M, Lopez-Knowles E, Oakes SR, Ormandy CJ, Qiu MR, Hamilton A, Spillane A, Soon Lee C, Sutherland RL, Musgrove EA, O'Toole SA. High Notch1 protein expression is an early event in breast cancer development and is associated with the HER-2 molecular subtype. Histopathology 2010; 56:286-96. [PMID: 20459529 DOI: 10.1111/j.1365-2559.2009.03475.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 47] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
AIMS Activation of Notch signalling results in hyperplasia and tumorigenesis in murine mammary epithelium. However, there is little information regarding the expression of Notch1 in premalignant lesions and early breast cancer. We investigated expression of Notch1 in breast cancer development and its association with molecular subtypes. METHODS AND RESULTS Immunohistochemical expression of Notch1 was determined in a murine model of mammary carcinogenesis and in breast tissue from two cohorts of breast cancer patients, the first (n=222) comprising a histological progression series and the second an outcome series of 228 patients with operable invasive ductal carcinoma. Enhanced expression of Notch1 protein was an early event in both murine and human breast cancer development with progressive increases in expression with the development of hyperplasia and malignancy. High Notch1 was not prognostic in the outcome cohort. There was, however, a highly significant association of high Notch1 protein with the HER-2 molecular subtype of breast cancer (P=0.008). CONCLUSIONS These data demonstrate that aberrant Notch regulation is an early event in mammary carcinogenesis and is associated with the HER-2 molecular subtype of breast cancer, and suggest the Notch signalling pathway may be a potential therapeutic target worthy of further investigation.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Sarah J Zardawi
- Cancer Research Program, Garvan Institute of Medical Research, St Vincent's Hospital, Darlinghurst, NSW, Australia
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Collapse
|
319
|
Rock JR, Randell SH, Hogan BLM. Airway basal stem cells: a perspective on their roles in epithelial homeostasis and remodeling. Dis Model Mech 2010; 3:545-56. [PMID: 20699479 DOI: 10.1242/dmm.006031] [Citation(s) in RCA: 524] [Impact Index Per Article: 37.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
The small airways of the human lung undergo pathological changes in pulmonary disorders, such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), asthma, bronchiolitis obliterans and cystic fibrosis. These clinical problems impose huge personal and societal healthcare burdens. The changes, termed 'pathological airway remodeling', affect the epithelium, the underlying mesenchyme and the reciprocal trophic interactions that occur between these tissues. Most of the normal human airway is lined by a pseudostratified epithelium of ciliated cells, secretory cells and 6-30% basal cells, the proportion of which varies along the proximal-distal axis. Epithelial abnormalities range from hypoplasia (failure to differentiate) to basal- and goblet-cell hyperplasia, squamous- and goblet-cell metaplasia, dysplasia and malignant transformation. Mesenchymal alterations include thickening of the basal lamina, smooth muscle hyperplasia, fibrosis and inflammatory cell accumulation. Paradoxically, given the prevalence and importance of airway remodeling in lung disease, its etiology is poorly understood. This is due, in part, to a lack of basic knowledge of the mechanisms that regulate the differentiation, maintenance and repair of the airway epithelium. Specifically, little is known about the proliferation and differentiation of basal cells, a multipotent stem cell population of the pseudostratified airway epithelium. This Perspective summarizes what we know, and what we need to know, about airway basal cells to evaluate their contributions to normal and abnormal airway remodeling. We contend that exploiting well-described model systems using both human airway epithelial cells and the pseudostratified epithelium of the genetically tractable mouse trachea will enable crucial discoveries regarding the pathogenesis of airway disease.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Jason R Rock
- Department of Cell Biology, Nanaline Duke Building, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC 27710, USA
| | | | | |
Collapse
|
320
|
Oloumi A, Maidan M, Lock FE, Tearle H, McKinney S, Muller WJ, Aparicio SAJR, Dedhar S. Cooperative signaling between Wnt1 and integrin-linked kinase induces accelerated breast tumor development. Breast Cancer Res 2010; 12:R38. [PMID: 20565980 PMCID: PMC2917033 DOI: 10.1186/bcr2592] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/17/2009] [Revised: 04/12/2010] [Accepted: 06/21/2010] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Introduction Breast cancer is genetically and clinically a heterogeneous disease. However, the exact contribution of different cell types and oncogenic mutations to this heterogeneity are not well understood. Recently, we discovered an interaction between Wnt and integrin-linked kinase (ILK) within the signaling cascade that regulates cell growth and survival. Interestingly, mammary-specific expression of either one of these proteins has been shown to promote mammary tumorigenesis. In light of our recent findings and to investigate the potential interaction between Wnt and ILK proteins during mammary tumor formation and progression, we established a transgenic mouse model that expresses both Wnt and ILK in mammary epithelial cells. Methods A novel transgenic mouse model with mammary-specific expression of both Wnt1 and ILK was generated by crossing the two previously characterized mouse models, MMTV-Wnt1 and MMTV-ILK. The resulting MMTV-Wnt/ILK mice were closely monitored for tumor development and growth, as well as for the tumor onset. The molecular phenotypes of both tumors and premalignant mammary glands were investigated by using biochemical and global gene-expression analysis approaches. Results A significant acceleration in mammary tumor incidence and growth was observed in the MMTV-Wnt/ILK mice. Pre-neoplastic mammary glands also display lobuloalveolar hyperplasia and an increase in ductal epithelium proliferation. Apart from elevated expression of Wnt/ILK targets, such as β-catenin and cyclin D1, gene-expression profiling identified the surprising activation of the FOXA1 transcription factor. Upregulation of FOXA1, which is also known as the molecular marker of differentiated mammary luminal cells, was consistent with the expansion of the enriched luminal progenitor population or CD29loCD24hiCD61+ cells in MMTV-Wnt/ILK tumors. Conclusions These results show cooperation between Wnt1 and ILK transgenes during mammary carcinogenesis, leading to changes in a transcriptional network, which could dictate a specific breast cancer phenotype with enhanced growth dynamics. The MMTV-Wnt/ILK can be used as a model to identify further the genes downstream of the estrogen receptor-β/FOXA1 and to investigate the mechanisms targeting the expansion of the luminal progenitor cells leading to hyperplasia and tumorigenesis.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Arusha Oloumi
- Cancer Genetics and Developmental Biology, British Columbia Cancer Agency, 675 West 10th Ave., Vancouver, BC, Canada.
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Collapse
|
321
|
Ling H, Sylvestre JR, Jolicoeur P. Notch1-induced mammary tumor development is cyclin D1-dependent and correlates with expansion of pre-malignant multipotent duct-limited progenitors. Oncogene 2010; 29:4543-54. [PMID: 20562911 DOI: 10.1038/onc.2010.186] [Citation(s) in RCA: 63] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
Members of the Notch family are involved in the development of breast cancer in animal models and in humans. In young transgenic mice, expressing intracellular activated Notch1 (N1(IC)) in mammary cells, we found that CD24(+) CD29(high) progenitor cells had enhanced survival, and were expanded through a cyclin D1-dependent pathway. This expansion positively correlated with the later cyclin D1-dependent formation of basal-like ductal tumors. This expanded population exhibited abnormal differentiation skewed toward the basal cells, showed signs of pre-malignancy (low PTEN/p53 and high c-myc) and contained stem cells with impaired self-renewal in vivo, and more numerous multipotent, ductal-restricted progenitors. Our data suggest that N1(IC) can favor transformation of progenitor cells early in life through a cyclin D1-dependent pathway.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- H Ling
- Laboratory of Molecular Biology, Clinical Research Institute of Montreal, Montréal, Québec, Canada
| | | | | |
Collapse
|
322
|
Targeting breast cancer stem cells. Mol Oncol 2010; 4:404-19. [PMID: 20599450 DOI: 10.1016/j.molonc.2010.06.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 159] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/08/2010] [Revised: 06/09/2010] [Accepted: 06/09/2010] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
The cancer stem cell (CSC) hypothesis postulates that tumors are maintained by a self-renewing CSC population that is also capable of differentiating into non-self-renewing cell populations that constitute the bulk of the tumor. Although, the CSC hypothesis does not directly address the cell of origin of cancer, it is postulated that tissue-resident stem or progenitor cells are the most common targets of transformation. Clinically, CSCs are predicted to mediate tumor recurrence after chemo- and radiation-therapy due to the relative inability of these modalities to effectively target CSCs. If this is the case, then CSC must be efficiently targeted to achieve a true cure. Similarities between normal and malignant stem cells, at the levels of cell-surface proteins, molecular pathways, cell cycle quiescence, and microRNA signaling present challenges in developing CSC-specific therapeutics. Approaches to targeting CSCs include the development of agents targeting known stem cell regulatory pathways as well as unbiased high-throughput siRNA or small molecule screening. Based on studies of pathways present in normal stem cells, recent work has identified potential "Achilles heals" of CSC, whereas unbiased screening provides opportunities to identify new pathways utilized by CSC as well as develop potential therapeutic agents. Here, we review both approaches and their potential to effectively target breast CSC.
Collapse
|
323
|
LaMarca HL, Visbal AP, Creighton CJ, Liu H, Zhang Y, Behbod F, Rosen JM. CCAAT/enhancer binding protein beta regulates stem cell activity and specifies luminal cell fate in the mammary gland. Stem Cells 2010; 28:535-44. [PMID: 20054865 DOI: 10.1002/stem.297] [Citation(s) in RCA: 50] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
The bZIP transcription factor C/EBP beta is important for mammary gland development and its expression is deregulated in human breast cancer. To determine whether C/EBP beta regulates mammary stem cells (MaSCs), we employed two different knockout strategies. Using both a germline and a conditional knockout strategy, we demonstrate that mammosphere formation was significantly decreased in C/EBP beta-deficient mammary epithelial cells (MECs). Functional limiting dilution transplantation assays indicated that the repopulating ability of C/EBP beta-deleted MECs was severely impaired. Serial transplantation experiments demonstrated that C/EBP beta deletion resulted in decreased outgrowth potential and premature MaSC senescence. In accord, fluorescence-activated cell sorting analysis demonstrated that C/EBP beta-null MECs contained fewer MaSCs, the loss of luminal progenitors and an increase in differentiated luminal cells as compared with wild-type. Gene profiling of C/EBP beta-null stem cells revealed an alteration in cell fate specification, exemplified by the expression of basal markers in the luminal compartment. Thus, C/EBP beta is a critical regulator of both MaSC repopulation activity and luminal cell lineage commitment. These findings have critical implications for understanding both stem cell biology and the etiology of different breast cancer subtypes.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Heather L LaMarca
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas, USA
| | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Collapse
|
324
|
Fu YP, Edvardsen H, Kaushiva A, Arhancet JP, Howe TM, Kohaar I, Porter-Gill P, Shah A, Landmark-Høyvik H, Fosså SD, Ambs S, Naume B, Børresen-Dale AL, Kristensen VN, Prokunina-Olsson L. NOTCH2 in breast cancer: association of SNP rs11249433 with gene expression in ER-positive breast tumors without TP53 mutations. Mol Cancer 2010; 9:113. [PMID: 20482849 PMCID: PMC2887795 DOI: 10.1186/1476-4598-9-113] [Citation(s) in RCA: 43] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/18/2009] [Accepted: 05/19/2010] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Background A recent genome-wide association study (GWAS) has identified a single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) rs11249433 in the 1p11.2 region as a novel genetic risk factor for breast cancer, and this association was stronger in patients with estrogen receptor (ER)+ versus ER- cancer. Results We found association between SNP rs11249433 and expression of the NOTCH2 gene located in the 1p11.2 region. Examined in 180 breast tumors, the expression of NOTCH2 was found to be lowest in tumors with TP53 mutations and highest in TP53 wild-type/ER+ tumors (p = 0.0059). In the latter group, the NOTCH2 expression was particularly increased in carriers of the risk genotypes (AG/GG) of rs11249433 when compared to the non-risk AA genotype (p = 0.0062). Similar association between NOTCH2 expression and rs11249433 was observed in 60 samples of purified monocytes from healthy controls (p = 0.015), but not in total blood samples from 302 breast cancer patients and 76 normal breast tissue samples. We also identified the first possible dominant-negative form of NOTCH2, a truncated version of NOTCH2 consisting of only the extracellular domain. Conclusion This is the first study to show that the expression of NOTCH2 differs in subgroups of breast tumors and by genotypes of the breast cancer-associated SNP rs11249433. The NOTCH pathway has key functions in stem cell differentiation of ER+ luminal cells in the breast. Therefore, increased expression of NOTCH2 in carriers of rs11249433 may promote development of ER+ luminal tumors. Further studies are needed to investigate possible mechanisms of regulation of NOTCH2 expression by rs11249433 and the role of NOTCH2 splicing forms in breast cancer development.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Yi-Ping Fu
- Laboratory of Translational Genomics, Division of Cancer Epidemiology and Genetics, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Collapse
|
325
|
Groner B, Vafaizadeh V, Brill B, Klemmt P. Stem cells of the breast and cancer therapy. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2010; 6:205-19. [PMID: 20187727 DOI: 10.2217/whe.10.5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
Breast cancer remains a significant public health problem despite advances in the understanding of the molecular and cellular events that underlie the disease. Crucial pathways regulating the cell cycle, proliferation and survival of breast cancer cells have been investigated and aberrant components of these pathways have been exploited as new drug targets. However, the mortality from breast cancer is only slowly declining. Recently, a model has been proposed that might explain the heterogeneous biological features of breast cancer cell populations and their differential response to therapeutic agents, which has interesting implications for further progress in therapy. This model links the emergence of breast cancer cells to stem cells and progenitors, an observation originally made in other cancer entities. It hypothesizes that the tumors originate from a small population of undifferentiated cells. These cells can undergo self-renewal and are able to generate a large number of partially differentiated cells, which constitute the bulk of the tumor. These cancer stem cells resemble adult stem and progenitor cells found in the normal breast, but are deregulated in their patterns of proliferation and differentiation. They could originate from normal stem cells or from more differentiated progenitors and lose their normal growth restraints through a series of oncogenic mutations that deregulate a small number of central signaling pathways. If breast cancer really is a stem and progenitor cell disease, this will have important implications for the understanding of the emergence of cancer cells. A combination of the cell-type of origin, stem cells, early or late progenitors and the particular oncogenic mutations acquired could provide a new classification of the different types of breast cancer. These parameters might determine the mechanisms of cancer progression and the responsiveness of patients to drug treatment. Stem cell-specific features could possibly be exploited as innovative drug targets.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Bernd Groner
- Georg Speyer Haus, Institute for Biomedical Research, Frankfurt, Germany.
| | | | | | | |
Collapse
|
326
|
Antagonistic roles of Notch and p63 in controlling mammary epithelial cell fates. Cell Death Differ 2010; 17:1600-12. [DOI: 10.1038/cdd.2010.37] [Citation(s) in RCA: 118] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
|
327
|
Lim E, Wu D, Pal B, Bouras T, Asselin-Labat ML, Vaillant F, Yagita H, Lindeman GJ, Smyth GK, Visvader JE. Transcriptome analyses of mouse and human mammary cell subpopulations reveal multiple conserved genes and pathways. Breast Cancer Res 2010; 12:R21. [PMID: 20346151 PMCID: PMC2879567 DOI: 10.1186/bcr2560] [Citation(s) in RCA: 332] [Impact Index Per Article: 23.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/02/2010] [Revised: 03/17/2010] [Accepted: 03/26/2010] [Indexed: 01/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Introduction Molecular characterization of the normal epithelial cell types that reside in the mammary gland is an important step toward understanding pathways that regulate self-renewal, lineage commitment, and differentiation along the hierarchy. Here we determined the gene expression signatures of four distinct subpopulations isolated from the mouse mammary gland. The epithelial cell signatures were used to interrogate mouse models of mammary tumorigenesis and to compare with their normal human counterpart subsets to identify conserved genes and networks. Methods RNA was prepared from freshly sorted mouse mammary cell subpopulations (mammary stem cell (MaSC)-enriched, committed luminal progenitor, mature luminal and stromal cell) and used for gene expression profiling analysis on the Illumina platform. Gene signatures were derived and compared with those previously reported for the analogous normal human mammary cell subpopulations. The mouse and human epithelial subset signatures were then subjected to Ingenuity Pathway Analysis (IPA) to identify conserved pathways. Results The four mouse mammary cell subpopulations exhibited distinct gene signatures. Comparison of these signatures with the molecular profiles of different mouse models of mammary tumorigenesis revealed that tumors arising in MMTV-Wnt-1 and p53-/- mice were enriched for MaSC-subset genes, whereas the gene profiles of MMTV-Neu and MMTV-PyMT tumors were most concordant with the luminal progenitor cell signature. Comparison of the mouse mammary epithelial cell signatures with their human counterparts revealed substantial conservation of genes, whereas IPA highlighted a number of conserved pathways in the three epithelial subsets. Conclusions The conservation of genes and pathways across species further validates the use of the mouse as a model to study mammary gland development and highlights pathways that are likely to govern cell-fate decisions and differentiation. It is noteworthy that many of the conserved genes in the MaSC population have been considered as epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) signature genes. Therefore, the expression of these genes in tumor cells may reflect basal epithelial cell characteristics and not necessarily cells that have undergone an EMT. Comparative analyses of normal mouse epithelial subsets with murine tumor models have implicated distinct cell types in contributing to tumorigenesis in the different models.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Elgene Lim
- The Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research, 1G Royal Parade, Parkville, VIC 3052, Australia.
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Collapse
|
328
|
Jiao Z, Wang W, Guo M, Zhang T, Chen L, Wang Y, You H, Li J. Expression analysis of Notch-related molecules in peripheral blood T helper cells of patients with rheumatoid arthritis. Scand J Rheumatol 2010; 39:26-32. [PMID: 20132067 DOI: 10.3109/03009740903124424] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/27/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Expression of Notch homologues in local tissue inflammation in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and cultured synoviocytes has been reported, but the expression profile of Notch-related molecules in peripheral lymphocytes in RA remains unclear. In this study, we measured the expression of Notch receptors and downstream molecules in peripheral lymphocytes from RA patients. METHODS Expression of Notch receptors in peripheral lymphocytes of RA patients was assessed by both flow cytometry and real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Expression of the representative Notch target gene HES-1 and the regulatory gene NUMB in purified T helper cells from RA patients was determined by real-time PCR, and expression of Notch intracellular domain (ICD) was determined by immunoblot analysis. RESULTS There was an increased expression of Notch 2, Notch 3, and Notch 4 in T helper cells from active RA patients, among which increased expression of Notch 3 was mainly by activated T cells. Notably, expression of Notch 3 in T cells decreased in inactive RA patients and the level was similar to that of healthy controls (HC). Notch receptors were rarely observed on B cells and no difference in expression was found between RA patients and HC. T helper cells from RA patients exhibited increased expression of the target gene HES-1 but decreased expression of the negative modulation gene NUMB of Notch signalling. There was also an increased nuclear translocation of Notch-ICD in T helper cells from active RA disease. CONCLUSION The present study demonstrated that T helper cells from RA patients display a significantly altered expression profile of Notch receptors and enhanced activation of Notch signalling compared with HC.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Z Jiao
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Affiliated Hospital of Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang, PR China.
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Collapse
|
329
|
Rijnkels M, Kabotyanski E, Montazer-Torbati MB, Hue Beauvais C, Vassetzky Y, Rosen JM, Devinoy E. The epigenetic landscape of mammary gland development and functional differentiation. J Mammary Gland Biol Neoplasia 2010; 15:85-100. [PMID: 20157770 PMCID: PMC3006238 DOI: 10.1007/s10911-010-9170-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 66] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/13/2010] [Accepted: 01/21/2010] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Most of the development and functional differentiation in the mammary gland occur after birth. Epigenetics is defined as the stable alterations in gene expression potential that arise during development and proliferation. Epigenetic changes are mediated at the biochemical level by the chromatin conformation initiated by DNA methylation, histone variants, post-translational modifications of histones, non-histone chromatin proteins, and non-coding RNAs. Epigenetics plays a key role in development. However, very little is known about its role in the developing mammary gland or how it might integrate the many signalling pathways involved in mammary gland development and function that have been discovered during the past few decades. An inverse relationship between marks of closed (DNA methylation) or open chromatin (DnaseI hypersensitivity, certain histone modifications) and milk protein gene expression has been documented. Recent studies have shown that during development and functional differentiation, both global and local chromatin changes occur. Locally, chromatin at distal regulatory elements and promoters of milk protein genes gains a more open conformation. Furthermore, changes occur both in looping between regulatory elements and attachment to nuclear matrix. These changes are induced by developmental signals and environmental conditions. Additionally, distinct epigenetic patterns have been identified in mammary gland stem and progenitor cell sub-populations. Together, these findings suggest that epigenetics plays a role in mammary development and function. With the new tools for epigenomics developed in recent years, we now can begin to establish a framework for the role of epigenetics in mammary gland development and disease.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Monique Rijnkels
- USDA/ARS Children's Nutrition Research Center, Department of Pediatrics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA.
| | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Collapse
|
330
|
Dose-dependent induction of distinct phenotypic responses to Notch pathway activation in mammary epithelial cells. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2010; 107:5012-7. [PMID: 20194747 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1000896107] [Citation(s) in RCA: 132] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Aberrant activation of Notch receptors has been implicated in breast cancer; however, the mechanisms contributing to Notch-dependent transformation remain elusive because Notch displays dichotomous functional activities, promoting both proliferation and growth arrest. We investigated the cellular basis for the heterogeneous responses to Notch pathway activation in 3D cultures of MCF-10A mammary epithelial cells. Expression of a constitutively active Notch-1 intracellular domain (NICD) was found to induce two distinct types of 3D structures: large, hyperproliferative structures and small, growth-arrested structures with reduced cell-to-matrix adhesion. Interestingly, we found that these heterogeneous phenotypes reflect differences in Notch pathway activation levels; high Notch activity caused down-regulation of multiple matrix-adhesion genes and inhibition of proliferation, whereas low Notch activity maintained matrix adhesion and provoked a strong hyperproliferative response. Moreover, microarray analyses implicated NICD-induced p63 down-regulation in loss of matrix adhesion. In addition, a reverse-phase protein array-based analysis and subsequent loss-of-function studies identified STAT3 as a dominant downstream mediator of the NICD-induced outgrowth. These results indicate that the phenotypic responses to Notch are determined by the dose of pathway activation; and this dose affects the balance between growth-stimulative and growth-suppressive effects. This unique feature of Notch signaling provides insights into mechanisms that contribute to the dichotomous effects of Notch during development and tumorigenesis.
Collapse
|
331
|
Pece S, Tosoni D, Confalonieri S, Mazzarol G, Vecchi M, Ronzoni S, Bernard L, Viale G, Pelicci PG, Di Fiore PP. Biological and molecular heterogeneity of breast cancers correlates with their cancer stem cell content. Cell 2010; 140:62-73. [PMID: 20074520 DOI: 10.1016/j.cell.2009.12.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 708] [Impact Index Per Article: 50.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/09/2008] [Revised: 02/18/2009] [Accepted: 11/24/2009] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Pathways that govern stem cell (SC) function are often subverted in cancer. Here, we report the isolation to near purity of human normal mammary SCs (hNMSCs), from cultured mammospheres, on the basis of their ability to retain the lipophilic dye PKH26 as a consequence of their quiescent nature. PKH26-positive cells possess all the characteristics of hNMSCs. The transcriptional profile of PKH26-positive cells (hNMSC signature) was able to predict biological and molecular features of breast cancers. By using markers of the hNMSC signature, we prospectively isolated SCs from the normal gland and from breast tumors. Poorly differentiated (G3) cancers displayed higher content of prospectively isolated cancer SCs (CSCs) than did well-differentiated (G1) cancers. By comparing G3 and G1 tumors in xenotransplantation experiments, we directly demonstrated that G3s are enriched in CSCs. Our data support the notion that the heterogeneous phenotypical and molecular traits of human breast cancers are a function of their CSC content.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Salvatore Pece
- IFOM, Fondazione Istituto FIRC di Oncologia Molecolare, Via Adamello 16, 20139 Milan, Italy.
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Collapse
|
332
|
Harrison H, Farnie G, Howell SJ, Rock RE, Stylianou S, Brennan KR, Bundred NJ, Clarke RB. Regulation of breast cancer stem cell activity by signaling through the Notch4 receptor. Cancer Res 2010; 70:709-18. [PMID: 20068161 DOI: 10.1158/0008-5472.can-09-1681] [Citation(s) in RCA: 393] [Impact Index Per Article: 28.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
Notch receptor signaling pathways play an important role not only in normal breast development but also in breast cancer development and progression. We assessed the role of Notch receptors in stem cell activity in breast cancer cell lines and nine primary human tumor samples. Stem cells were enriched by selection of anoikis-resistant cells or cells expressing the membrane phenotype ESA(+)/CD44(+)/CD24(low). Using these breast cancer stem cell populations, we compared the activation status of Notch receptors with the status in luminally differentiated cells, and we evaluated the consequences of pathway inhibition in vitro and in vivo. We found that Notch4 signaling activity was 8-fold higher in stem cell-enriched cell populations compared with differentiated cells, whereas Notch1 signaling activity was 4-fold lower in the stem cell-enriched cell populations. Pharmacologic or genetic inhibition of Notch1 or Notch4 reduced stem cell activity in vitro and reduced tumor formation in vivo, but Notch4 inhibition produced a more robust effect with a complete inhibition of tumor initiation observed. Our findings suggest that Notch4-targeted therapies will be more effective than targeting Notch1 in suppressing breast cancer recurrence, as it is initiated by breast cancer stem cells.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Hannah Harrison
- Breast Biology Group, School of Cancer, Enabling Sciences and Technology, Paterson Institute for Cancer Research, University of Manchester, Manchester Academic Health Sciences Centre, The Christie NHS Foundation Trust; Department of Medical Oncology, The Christie NHS Foundation Trust, Manchester M20 4BX, United Kingdom
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Collapse
|
333
|
Abstract
In recent years a substantial body of evidence derived from not only preclinical but also clinical studies has accumulated in support of Notch signaling playing important oncogenic roles in several types of cancer. The finding that activating Notch mutations are frequently found in patients suffering from acute lymphoblastic leukemia is one of the best examples for a critical role of Notch signaling in cancer, a fact that motivated many researchers and clinicians to study the role of Notch also in solid tumors. Hence Notch signaling has gained increasing attention as a potential therapeutic target. In this book chapter we would like to discuss our current knowledge of Notch signaling within different types of solid cancers as well as advantages and disadvantages of potential new therapies that try to target the oncogenic properties of Notch signaling.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Ute Koch
- Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), Swiss Institute for Experimental Cancer Research (ISREC), Lausanne, Switzerland
| | | |
Collapse
|
334
|
Abstract
Stem cells are rare and unique precursor cells that participate in the building and rebuilding of tissues and organs during embryogenesis, postnatal growth, and injury repair. Stem cells are distinctively endowed with the ability to both self-renew and differentiate, such that they can replenish the stem cell pool while continuing to produce the differentiated daughter cells that are essential for tissue function. Stem cell self-renewal/differentiation decisions must be carefully controlled during organogenesis, tissue homeostasis, and regeneration, as failure in stem cell maintenance or activation can lead to progressive tissue wasting, while unchecked self-renewal is a hallmark of many cancers. Here, we review evidence implicating the Notch signaling pathway, an evolutionarily conserved cell fate determinant with widespread roles in a variety of tissues and organisms, as a crucial regulator of stem cell behavior. As discussed below, this pathway plays varied and critical roles at multiple stages of organismal development, in lineage-specific differentiation of pluripotent embryonic stem cells, and in controlling stem cell numbers and activity in the context of age-related tissue degeneration, injury-induced tissue repair, and malignancy.
Collapse
|
335
|
Peroxisome-proliferator-activated receptor-binding protein (PBP) is essential for the growth of active Notch4-immortalized mammary epithelial cells by activating SOX10 expression. Biochem J 2009; 425:435-44. [PMID: 19852756 DOI: 10.1042/bj20091237] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
PBP (peroxisome-proliferator-activated receptor-binding protein) [Med1 (mediator 1)/TRAP220 (thyroid-hormone-receptor-associated protein 220)] is essential for mammary gland development. We established a mammary epithelial cell line with a genotype of PBPLoxP/LoxP by expressing an active form of Notch4. Null mutation of PBP caused severe growth inhibition of the Notch4-immortalized mammary cells. We found that truncated PBP without the two LXXLL motifs could reverse the growth inhibition due to the deficiency of endogenous PBP, indicating that signalling through nuclear receptors is unlikely to be responsible for the growth inhibition as the result of PBP deficiency. Loss of PBP expression was shown to completely ablate the expression of SOX10 [Sry-related HMG (high-mobility group) box gene 10]. The re-expression of SOX10 was capable of reversing the growth inhibition due to PBP deficiency, whereas suppressed expression of SOX10 inhibited the growth of Notch4-immortalized mammary cells. Further studies revealed PBP is directly recruited to the enhancer of the SOX10 gene, indicating that SOX10 is a direct target gene of PBP. We conclude that PBP is essential for the growth of Notch4-immortalized mammary cells by activating SOX10 expression, providing a potential molecular mechanism through which PBP regulates the growth of mammary stem/progenitor cells.
Collapse
|
336
|
Chigurupati S, Venkataraman R, Barrera D, Naganathan A, Madan M, Paul L, Pattisapu JV, Kyriazis GA, Sugaya K, Bushnev S, Lathia JD, Rich JN, Chan SL. Receptor channel TRPC6 is a key mediator of Notch-driven glioblastoma growth and invasiveness. Cancer Res 2009; 70:418-27. [PMID: 20028870 DOI: 10.1158/0008-5472.can-09-2654] [Citation(s) in RCA: 150] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) is the most frequent and incurable type of brain tumor of adults. Hypoxia has been shown to direct GBM toward a more aggressive and malignant state. Here we show that hypoxia increases Notch1 activation, which in turn induces the expression of transient receptor potential 6 (TRPC6) in primary samples and cell lines derived from GBM. TRPC6 is required for the development of the aggressive phenotype because knockdown of TRPC6 expression inhibits glioma growth, invasion, and angiogenesis. Functionally, TRPC6 causes a sustained elevation of intracellular calcium that is coupled to the activation of the calcineurin-nuclear factor of activated T-cell (NFAT) pathway. Pharmacologic inhibition of the calcineurin-NFAT pathway substantially reduces the development of the malignant GBM phenotypes under hypoxia. Clinically, expression of TRPC6 was elevated in GBM specimens in comparison with normal tissues. Collectively, our studies indicate that TRPC6 is a key mediator of tumor growth of GBM in vitro and in vivo and that TRPC6 may be a promising therapeutic target in the treatment of human GBM.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Srinivasulu Chigurupati
- Burnett School of Biomedical Sciences, College of Medicine, University of Central Florida, Florida Hospital Cancer Institute, Orlando, Florida 32816, USA
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Collapse
|
337
|
Visvader JE. Keeping abreast of the mammary epithelial hierarchy and breast tumorigenesis. Genes Dev 2009; 23:2563-77. [PMID: 19933147 DOI: 10.1101/gad.1849509] [Citation(s) in RCA: 402] [Impact Index Per Article: 26.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/16/2023]
Abstract
The epithelium of the mammary gland exists in a highly dynamic state, undergoing dramatic morphogenetic changes during puberty, pregnancy, lactation, and regression. The recent identification of stem and progenitor populations in mouse and human mammary tissue has provided evidence that the mammary epithelium is organized in a hierarchical manner. Characterization of these normal epithelial subtypes is an important step toward understanding which cells are predisposed to oncogenesis. This review summarizes progress in the field toward defining constituent cells and key molecular regulators of the mammary epithelial hierarchy. Potential relationships between normal epithelial populations and breast tumor subtypes are discussed, with implications for understanding the cellular etiology underpinning breast tumor heterogeneity.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Jane E Visvader
- VBCRC (Victorian Breast Cancer Research Consortium) Laboratory, The Walter and Eliza Hall of Medical Research, Parkville, Victoria 3052, Australia.
| |
Collapse
|
338
|
Tiede BJ, Owens LA, Li F, DeCoste C, Kang Y. A novel mouse model for non-invasive single marker tracking of mammary stem cells in vivo reveals stem cell dynamics throughout pregnancy. PLoS One 2009; 4:e8035. [PMID: 19946375 PMCID: PMC2777504 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0008035] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/27/2009] [Accepted: 10/30/2009] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Mammary stem cells (MaSCs) play essential roles for the development of the mammary gland and its remodeling during pregnancy. However, the precise localization of MaSCs in the mammary gland and their regulation during pregnancy is unknown. Here we report a transgenic mouse model for luciferase-based single marker detection of MaSCs in vivo that we used to address these issues. Single transgene expressing mammary epithelial cells were shown to reconstitute mammary glands in vivo while immunohistochemical staining identified MaSCs in basal and luminal locations, with preponderance towards the basal position. By quantifying luciferase expression using bioluminescent imaging, we were able to track MaSCs non-invasively in individual mice over time. Using this model to monitor MaSC dynamics throughout pregnancy, we found that MaSCs expand in both total number and percentage during pregnancy and then drop down to or below baseline levels after weaning. However, in a second round of pregnancy, this expansion was not as extensive. These findings validate a powerful system for the analysis of MaSC dynamics in vivo, which will facilitate future characterization of MaSCs during mammary gland development and breast cancer.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Benjamin J. Tiede
- Department of Molecular Biology, Princeton University, Princeton, New Jersey, United States of America
| | - Leah A. Owens
- Department of Molecular Biology, Princeton University, Princeton, New Jersey, United States of America
| | - Feng Li
- Department of Molecular Biology, Princeton University, Princeton, New Jersey, United States of America
| | - Christina DeCoste
- Department of Molecular Biology, Princeton University, Princeton, New Jersey, United States of America
| | - Yibin Kang
- Department of Molecular Biology, Princeton University, Princeton, New Jersey, United States of America
- * E-mail:
| |
Collapse
|
339
|
Notch-1 activates estrogen receptor-alpha-dependent transcription via IKKalpha in breast cancer cells. Oncogene 2009; 29:201-13. [PMID: 19838210 DOI: 10.1038/onc.2009.323] [Citation(s) in RCA: 105] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
Abstract
Approximately 80% of breast cancers express the estrogen receptor-alpha (ERalpha) and are treated with anti-estrogens. Resistance to these agents is a major cause of mortality. We have shown that estrogen inhibits Notch, whereas anti-estrogens or estrogen withdrawal activate Notch signaling. Combined inhibition of Notch and estrogen signaling has synergistic effects in ERalpha-positive breast cancer models. However, the mechanisms whereby Notch-1 promotes the growth of ERalpha-positive breast cancer cells are unknown. Here, we demonstrate that Notch-1 increases the transcription of ERalpha-responsive genes in the presence or absence of estrogen via a novel chromatin crosstalk mechanism. Our data support a model in which Notch-1 can activate the transcription of ERalpha-target genes via IKKalpha-dependent cooperative chromatin recruitment of Notch-CSL-MAML1 transcriptional complexes (NTC) and ERalpha, which promotes the recruitment of p300. CSL binding elements frequently occur in close proximity to estrogen-responsive elements (EREs) in the human and mouse genomes. Our observations suggest that a hitherto unknown Notch-1/ERalpha chromatin crosstalk mediates Notch signaling effects in ERalpha-positive breast cancer cells and contributes to regulate the transcriptional functions of ERalpha itself.
Collapse
|
340
|
Groner B, Vafaizadeh V, Brill B, Klemmt P. Mammary epithelial and breast cancer stem cells. Eur J Cancer 2009; 45 Suppl 1:186-93. [DOI: 10.1016/s0959-8049(09)70032-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/28/2022]
|
341
|
Pontier SM, Muller WJ. Integrins in mammary-stem-cell biology and breast-cancer progression--a role in cancer stem cells? J Cell Sci 2009; 122:207-14. [PMID: 19118213 DOI: 10.1242/jcs.040394] [Citation(s) in RCA: 67] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/16/2023] Open
Abstract
Cancer cells with stem cell-like properties (cancer stem cells) are believed to drive cancer and are associated with poor prognosis. Data from mouse models have demonstrated that integrins, the major cellular receptors for extracellular-matrix components, have essential roles both during cancer initiation and progression, and during cell differentiation in normal development. By presenting an overview of the role of integrins in stem-cell biology and in cancer progression, this Commentary aims to present evidence for a role of integrins in the biology of cancer stem cells. Given the recent interest in the role of integrins in breast-cancer initiation and progression, we focus on the role of the members of the integrin family and their coupled signaling pathways in mammary-gland development and tumorigenesis.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Stephanie M Pontier
- Goodman Cancer Centre, McGill University, 1160 Avenue Des Pins Ouest, Montreal, Quebec, Canada H3A 1A3
| | | |
Collapse
|
342
|
Harmes DC, DiRenzo J. Cellular quiescence in mammary stem cells and breast tumor stem cells: got testable hypotheses? J Mammary Gland Biol Neoplasia 2009; 14:19-27. [PMID: 19240987 PMCID: PMC3736345 DOI: 10.1007/s10911-009-9111-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/08/2008] [Accepted: 02/08/2009] [Indexed: 12/26/2022] Open
Abstract
Cellular quiescence is a state of reversible cell cycle arrest and has more recently been shown to be a blockade to differentiation and to correlate with resistance to cancer chemotherapeutics and other xenobiotics; features that are common to adult stem cells and possibly tumor stem cells. The biphasic kinetics of mammary regeneration, coupled to its cyclic endocrine control suggest that mammary stem cells most likely divide during a narrow window of the regenerative cycle and return to a state of quiescence. This would enable them to retain their proliferative capacity, resist differentiation signals and preserve their prolonged life span. There is accumulating evidence that mammary stem cells and other adult stem cells utilize quiescence for this purpose, however the degree to which tumor stem cells do so is largely unknown. The retained proliferative capacity of mammary stem cells likely enables them to accumulate and harbor mutations that lead to breast cancer initiation. However it is currently unclear if these causative lesions lead to defective or deranged quiescence in mammary stem cells. Evidence of such effects could potentially lead to the development of diagnostic systems that monitor mammary stem cell quiescence or activation. Such systems may be useful for the evaluation of patients who are at significant risk of breast cancer. Additionally quiescence has been postulated to contribute to therapeutic resistance and tumor recurrence. This review aims to evaluate what is known about the mechanisms governing cellular quiescence and the role of tumor stem cell quiescence in breast cancer recurrence.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- David C. Harmes
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Dartmouth Medical School, 7650 Remsen, Hanover, NH 03755, USA
| | - James DiRenzo
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Dartmouth Medical School, 7650 Remsen, Hanover, NH 03755, USA
| |
Collapse
|
343
|
Bedard PL, Cardoso F, Piccart-Gebhart MJ. Stemming resistance to HER-2 targeted therapy. J Mammary Gland Biol Neoplasia 2009; 14:55-66. [PMID: 19259796 DOI: 10.1007/s10911-009-9116-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/09/2009] [Accepted: 02/10/2009] [Indexed: 01/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Although the development of trastuzumab and lapatinib has improved the outlook for women with HER-2 positive breast cancer, resistance to HER-2 targeted therapy is a growing clinical dilemma. Recent evidence indicates that the HER-2 pathway may play an important role in the maintenance of cancer stem cells (CSCs). The success of HER-2 targeted therapies may, in part, be explained by their direct activity against HER-2 positive CSCs. Our understanding of the mechanisms involved in resistance to trastuzumab, including loss or blockade of the trastuzumab binding site, activation of alternative signaling pathways, and induction of epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT), suggests that CSCs may be at the root of resistance of HER-2 targeted therapy. A variety of novel HER-2 targeted approaches have demonstrated promising preliminary clinical activity. Future clinical trials should involve the integration of technologies to assess the impact of novel HER-2 targeted therapies on HER-2 positive CSCs.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Philippe L Bedard
- Department of Medical Oncology, Jules Bordet Institute, Brussels, Belgium
| | | | | |
Collapse
|
344
|
Kasper M, Jaks V, Fiaschi M, Toftgård R. Hedgehog signalling in breast cancer. Carcinogenesis 2009; 30:903-11. [PMID: 19237605 DOI: 10.1093/carcin/bgp048] [Citation(s) in RCA: 112] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Breast cancer is the most common cause of cancer death among women worldwide. In order to improve the treatment of this disease, a more complete understanding of its biological basis is necessary. Since the Hedgehog (Hh) pathway was recently found to be required for growth and propagation of a number of different cancers, we discuss here the possible involvement of this pathway in the normal biology and development of cancer in the mammary gland. The use of mouse mammary cancer models has assisted the process of dissecting the mechanisms behind Hh-driven mammary tumour formation and growth. Based on recent studies, we conclude that the inhibition of Hh signalling in breast tumours may interfere with the maintenance of a putative cancer stem cell compartment and the abnormal stimulation of tumour stroma. Therefore, the components of the Hh signalling cascade may provide a set of drug targets, which could be implemented into novel combinatorial strategies for the treatment of breast cancer.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Maria Kasper
- Department of Biosciences and Nutrition, Karolinska Institutet, Novum, Huddinge, Sweden
| | | | | | | |
Collapse
|
345
|
Abstract
It has been proposed that gene expression profiles will revolutionize the classification of breast cancer, eventually replacing histopathology with a more reproducible technology. These new approaches, combined with a better understanding of the cellular origins of breast cancer, should enable us to identify patient subgroups for more effective therapy. However, in such a rapidly advancing field it is essential that initial and thought-provoking results do not become established as 'facts' without question. This Opinion addresses some of the negatives and positives generated by the term 'basal-like' breast cancer, and questions its existence as an entity.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Barry Gusterson
- Division of Cancer Sciences and Molecular Pathology, University of Glasgow, Western Infirmary (Pathology), Dumbarton Road, Glasgow G11 6NT, Scotland, UK.
| |
Collapse
|
346
|
Abstract
Notch signals mediate a wide range of activities in development and cancer. A report in this issue of Cell Stem Cell (Bouras et al., 2008) demonstrates that Notch serves as a switch that controls cell fate and tissue homeostasis in mammary epithelium.
Collapse
|
347
|
Kendrick H, Regan JL, Magnay FA, Grigoriadis A, Mitsopoulos C, Zvelebil M, Smalley MJ. Transcriptome analysis of mammary epithelial subpopulations identifies novel determinants of lineage commitment and cell fate. BMC Genomics 2008; 9:591. [PMID: 19063729 PMCID: PMC2629782 DOI: 10.1186/1471-2164-9-591] [Citation(s) in RCA: 137] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/03/2008] [Accepted: 12/08/2008] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Understanding the molecular control of cell lineages and fate determination in complex tissues is key to not only understanding the developmental biology and cellular homeostasis of such tissues but also for our understanding and interpretation of the molecular pathology of diseases such as cancer. The prerequisite for such an understanding is detailed knowledge of the cell types that make up such tissues, including their comprehensive molecular characterisation. In the mammary epithelium, the bulk of the tissue is composed of three cell lineages, namely the basal/myoepithelial, luminal epithelial estrogen receptor positive and luminal epithelial estrogen receptor negative cells. However, a detailed molecular characterisation of the transcriptomic differences between these three populations has not been carried out. Results A whole transcriptome analysis of basal/myoepithelial cells, luminal estrogen receptor negative cells and luminal estrogen receptor positive cells isolated from the virgin mouse mammary epithelium identified 861, 326 and 488 genes as highly differentially expressed in the three cell types, respectively. Network analysis of the transcriptomic data identified a subpopulation of luminal estrogen receptor negative cells with a novel potential role as non-professional immune cells. Analysis of the data for potential paracrine interacting factors showed that the basal/myoepithelial cells, remarkably, expressed over twice as many ligands and cell surface receptors as the other two populations combined. A number of transcriptional regulators were also identified that were differentially expressed between the cell lineages. One of these, Sox6, was specifically expressed in luminal estrogen receptor negative cells and functional assays confirmed that it maintained mammary epithelial cells in a differentiated luminal cell lineage. Conclusion The mouse mammary epithelium is composed of three main cell types with distinct gene expression patterns. These suggest the existence of a novel functional cell type within the gland, that the basal/myoepithelial cells are key regulators of paracrine signalling and that there is a complex network of differentially expressed transcription factors controlling mammary epithelial cell fate. These data will form the basis for understanding not only cell fate determination and cellular homeostasis in the normal mammary epithelium but also the contribution of different mammary epithelial cell types to the etiology and molecular pathology of breast disease.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Howard Kendrick
- Breakthrough Breast Cancer Research Centre, The Institute of Cancer Research, London, UK.
| | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Collapse
|