1
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Dahms P, Lyons TR. Toward Characterizing Lymphatic Vasculature in the Mammary Gland During Normal Development and Tumor-Associated Remodeling. J Mammary Gland Biol Neoplasia 2024; 29:1. [PMID: 38218743 PMCID: PMC10787674 DOI: 10.1007/s10911-023-09554-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/04/2023] [Accepted: 12/24/2023] [Indexed: 01/15/2024] Open
Abstract
Lymphatic vasculature has been shown to promote metastatic spread of breast cancer. Lymphatic vasculature, which is made up of larger collecting vessels and smaller capillaries, has specialized cell junctions that facilitate cell intravasation. Normally, these junctions are designed to collect immune cells and other cellular components for immune surveillance by lymph nodes, but they are also utilized by cancer cells to facilitate metastasis. Although lymphatic development overall in the body has been well-characterized, there has been little focus on how the lymphatic network changes in the mammary gland during stages of remodeling such as pregnancy, lactation, and postpartum involution. In this review, we aim to define the currently known lymphangiogenic factors and lymphatic remodeling events during mammary gland morphogenesis. Furthermore, we juxtapose mammary gland pubertal development and postpartum involution to show similarities of pro-lymphangiogenic signaling as well as other molecular signals for epithelial cell survival that are critical in these morphogenic stages. The similar mechanisms include involvement of M2-polarized macrophages that contribute to matrix remodeling and vasculogenesis; signal transducer and activator of transcription (STAT) survival and proliferation signaling; and cyclooxygenase 2 (COX2)/Prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) signaling to promote ductal and lymphatic expansion. Investigation and characterization of lymphangiogenesis in the normal mammary gland can provide insight to targetable mechanisms for lymphangiogenesis and lymphatic spread of tumor cells in breast cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Petra Dahms
- Division of Medical Oncology Senior Scientist, Young Women's Breast Cancer Translational Program, University of Colorado Cancer Center, 12801 E 17th Ave, RC1 South, Mailstop 8117, 80045, Aurora, CO, USA
- Division of Medical Oncology, Anschutz Medical Center, University of Colorado, Aurora, CO, USA
- Anschutz Medical Campus Graduate Program in Cancer Biology, University of Colorado, Aurora, USA
| | - Traci R Lyons
- Division of Medical Oncology Senior Scientist, Young Women's Breast Cancer Translational Program, University of Colorado Cancer Center, 12801 E 17th Ave, RC1 South, Mailstop 8117, 80045, Aurora, CO, USA.
- Division of Medical Oncology, Anschutz Medical Center, University of Colorado, Aurora, CO, USA.
- Anschutz Medical Campus Graduate Program in Cancer Biology, University of Colorado, Aurora, USA.
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2
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Lin J, Ye S, Ke H, Lin L, Wu X, Guo M, Jiao B, Chen C, Zhao L. Changes in the mammary gland during aging and its links with breast diseases. Acta Biochim Biophys Sin (Shanghai) 2023. [PMID: 37184281 DOI: 10.3724/abbs.2023073] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/16/2023] Open
Abstract
The functional capacity of organisms declines in the process of aging. In the case of breast tissue, abnormal mammary gland development can lead to dysfunction in milk secretion, a primary function, as well as the onset of various diseases, such as breast cancer. In the process of aging, the terminal duct lobular units (TDLUs) within the breast undergo gradual degeneration, while the proportion of adipose tissue in the breast continues to increase and hormonal levels in the breast change accordingly. Here, we review changes in morphology, internal structure, and cellular composition that occur in the mammary gland during aging. We also explore the emerging mechanisms of breast aging and the relationship between changes during aging and breast-related diseases, as well as potential interventions for delaying mammary gland aging and preventing breast disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Junqiang Lin
- Human Aging Research Institute (HARI) and School of Life Science, Nanchang University, and Jiangxi Key Laboratory of Human Aging, Nanchang 330031, China
| | - Shihui Ye
- Human Aging Research Institute (HARI) and School of Life Science, Nanchang University, and Jiangxi Key Laboratory of Human Aging, Nanchang 330031, China
| | - Hao Ke
- Human Aging Research Institute (HARI) and School of Life Science, Nanchang University, and Jiangxi Key Laboratory of Human Aging, Nanchang 330031, China
| | - Liang Lin
- Human Aging Research Institute (HARI) and School of Life Science, Nanchang University, and Jiangxi Key Laboratory of Human Aging, Nanchang 330031, China
| | - Xia Wu
- Human Aging Research Institute (HARI) and School of Life Science, Nanchang University, and Jiangxi Key Laboratory of Human Aging, Nanchang 330031, China
| | - Mengfei Guo
- Huankui Academy, Nanchang University, Nanchang 330031, China
| | - Baowei Jiao
- State Key Laboratory of Genetic Resources and Evolution, Kunming Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming 650201, China
- KIZ-CUHK Joint Laboratory of Bioresources and Molecular Research in Common Diseases, Kunming Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming 650223, China
| | - Ceshi Chen
- Academy of Biomedical Engineering, Kunming Medical University, Kunming 650500, China
- Key Laboratory of Animal Models and Human Disease Mechanisms, Kunming Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming 650223, China
- the Third Affiliated Hospital, Kunming Medical University, Kunming 650118, China
| | - Limin Zhao
- Human Aging Research Institute (HARI) and School of Life Science, Nanchang University, and Jiangxi Key Laboratory of Human Aging, Nanchang 330031, China
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3
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Billa PA, Faulconnier Y, Ye T, Bourdon C, Pires JAA, Leroux C. Nutrigenomic analyses reveal miRNAs and mRNAs affected by feed restriction in the mammary gland of midlactation dairy cows. PLoS One 2021; 16:e0248680. [PMID: 33857151 PMCID: PMC8049318 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0248680] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/05/2020] [Accepted: 03/03/2021] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
The objective of this study was to investigate the effects of feed restriction on mammary miRNAs and coding gene expression in midlactation cows. Five Holstein cows and 6 Montbéliarde cows underwent 6 days of feed restriction, during which feed allowance was reduced to meet 50% of their net energy for lactation requirements. Mammary biopsies were performed before and at the end of the restriction period. Mammary miRNA and mRNA analyses were performed using high-throughput sequencing and microarray analyses, respectively. Feed restriction induced a negative energy balance and decreased milk production and fat and protein yields in both breeds. Feed restriction modified the expression of 27 miRNAs and 374 mRNAs in mammary glands from Holstein cows, whereas no significant miRNA change was observed in Montbéliarde cows. Among the 27 differentially expressed miRNAs, 8 miRNAs were associated with dairy QTL. Analysis of target genes indicate that the 8 most abundantly expressed miRNAs control transcripts related to lipid metabolism, mammary remodeling and stress response. A comparison between the mRNAs targeted by the 8 most strongly expressed miRNAs and 374 differentially expressed mRNAs identified 59 mRNAs in common. The bioinformatic analyses of these 59 mRNAs revealed their implication in lipid metabolism and endothelial cell proliferation. These effects of feed restriction on mammary miRNAs and mRNAs observed in Holstein cows suggest a potential role of miRNAs in mammary structure and lipid biosynthesis that could explain changes in milk production and composition.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pierre-Alexis Billa
- INRAE, Université Clermont Auvergne, VetAgro Sup, UMR Herbivores, Saint-Genès-Champanelle, France
| | - Yannick Faulconnier
- INRAE, Université Clermont Auvergne, VetAgro Sup, UMR Herbivores, Saint-Genès-Champanelle, France
| | - Tao Ye
- Institut de Génétique et de Biologie Moléculaire et Cellulaire (IGBMC), Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, UMR7104, Institut National de la Santé et de la Recherche Médicale, U964, Université de Strasbourg, Illkirch, France
| | - Céline Bourdon
- INRAE, AgroParisTech, Université Paris-Saclay, UMR Génétique Animale et Biologie Intégrative, Jouy-en-Josas, France
| | - José A. A. Pires
- INRAE, Université Clermont Auvergne, VetAgro Sup, UMR Herbivores, Saint-Genès-Champanelle, France
| | - Christine Leroux
- INRAE, Université Clermont Auvergne, VetAgro Sup, UMR Herbivores, Saint-Genès-Champanelle, France
- * E-mail:
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4
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Betterman KL, Sutton DL, Secker GA, Kazenwadel J, Oszmiana A, Lim L, Miura N, Sorokin L, Hogan BM, Kahn ML, McNeill H, Harvey NL. Atypical cadherin FAT4 orchestrates lymphatic endothelial cell polarity in response to flow. J Clin Invest 2021; 130:3315-3328. [PMID: 32182215 DOI: 10.1172/jci99027] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/11/2017] [Accepted: 03/05/2020] [Indexed: 01/07/2023] Open
Abstract
The atypical cadherin FAT4 has established roles in the regulation of planar cell polarity and Hippo pathway signaling that are cell context dependent. The recent identification of FAT4 mutations in Hennekam syndrome, features of which include lymphedema, lymphangiectasia, and mental retardation, uncovered an important role for FAT4 in the lymphatic vasculature. Hennekam syndrome is also caused by mutations in collagen and calcium binding EGF domains 1 (CCBE1) and ADAM metallopeptidase with thrombospondin type 1 motif 3 (ADAMTS3), encoding a matrix protein and protease, respectively, that regulate activity of the key prolymphangiogenic VEGF-C/VEGFR3 signaling axis by facilitating the proteolytic cleavage and activation of VEGF-C. The fact that FAT4, CCBE1, and ADAMTS3 mutations underlie Hennekam syndrome suggested that all 3 genes might function in a common pathway. We identified FAT4 as a target gene of GATA-binding protein 2 (GATA2), a key transcriptional regulator of lymphatic vascular development and, in particular, lymphatic vessel valve development. Here, we demonstrate that FAT4 functions in a lymphatic endothelial cell-autonomous manner to control cell polarity in response to flow and is required for lymphatic vessel morphogenesis throughout development. Our data reveal a crucial role for FAT4 in lymphangiogenesis and shed light on the mechanistic basis by which FAT4 mutations underlie a human lymphedema syndrome.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kelly L Betterman
- Centre for Cancer Biology, University of South Australia and SA Pathology, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia.,SA Pathology, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia
| | - Drew L Sutton
- Centre for Cancer Biology, University of South Australia and SA Pathology, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia.,SA Pathology, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia
| | - Genevieve A Secker
- Centre for Cancer Biology, University of South Australia and SA Pathology, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia.,SA Pathology, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia
| | - Jan Kazenwadel
- Centre for Cancer Biology, University of South Australia and SA Pathology, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia.,SA Pathology, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia
| | - Anna Oszmiana
- Centre for Cancer Biology, University of South Australia and SA Pathology, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia.,SA Pathology, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia
| | - Lillian Lim
- Department of Medicine and Cardiovascular Institute, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Naoyuki Miura
- Department of Biochemistry, Hamamatsu University School of Medicine, Hamamatsu, Japan
| | - Lydia Sorokin
- Institute of Physiological Chemistry and Pathobiochemistry, University of Muenster, Muenster, Germany
| | - Benjamin M Hogan
- Division of Genomics of Development and Disease, Institute for Molecular Bioscience, University of Queensland, Saint Lucia, Queensland, Australia.,Organogenesis and Cancer Program, Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.,Department of Anatomy and Neuroscience, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Mark L Kahn
- Department of Medicine and Cardiovascular Institute, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Helen McNeill
- Lunenfeld-Tanenbaum Research Institute, Mount Sinai Hospital, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.,Department of Molecular Genetics, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.,Department of Developmental Biology, Washington University School of Medicine, Saint Louis, Missouri, USA
| | - Natasha L Harvey
- Centre for Cancer Biology, University of South Australia and SA Pathology, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia.,SA Pathology, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia
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5
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Elder AM, Stoller AR, Black SA, Lyons TR. Macphatics and PoEMs in Postpartum Mammary Development and Tumor Progression. J Mammary Gland Biol Neoplasia 2020; 25:103-113. [PMID: 32535810 PMCID: PMC7395889 DOI: 10.1007/s10911-020-09451-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/13/2020] [Accepted: 05/29/2020] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Postpartum mammary gland involution is a mammalian tissue remodeling event that occurs after pregnancy and lactation to return the gland to the pre-pregnant state. This event is characterized by apoptosis and lysosomal-mediated cell death of the majority of the lactational mammary epithelium, followed by remodeling of the extracellular matrix, influx of immune cell populations (in particular, T helper cells, monocytes, and macrophages), and neo-lymphangiogenesis. This postpartum environment has been shown to be promotional for tumor growth and metastases and may partially account for why women diagnosed with breast cancer during the postpartum period or within 5 years of last childbirth have an increased risk of developing metastases when compared to their nulliparous counterparts. The lymphatics and macrophages present during mammary gland involution have been implicated in promoting the observed growth and metastasis. Of importance are the macrophages, which are of the "M2" phenotype and are known to create a pro-tumor microenvironment. In this report, we describe a subset of postpartum macrophages that express lymphatic proteins (PoEMs) and directly interact with lymphatic vessels to form chimeric vessels or "macphatics". Additionally, these PoEMs are very similar to tumor-associated macrophages that also express lymphatic proteins and are present at the sites of lymphatic vessels where tumors escape the tissue and enter the lymphatic vasculature. Further characterizing these PoEMs may offer insight in preventing lymphatic metastasis of breast cancer, as well as provide information for how developmental programming of lymphatic endothelial cells and macrophages can contribute to different disease progression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alan M Elder
- Young Women's Breast Cancer Translational Program, Division of Medical Oncology, University of Colorado Cancer Center, 12801 E 17th Ave, RC1 South, Mailstop 8117, Aurora, CO, 80045, USA
- Division of Medical Oncology, Anschutz Medical Center, University of Colorado, Aurora, CO, USA
- Graduate Program in Cancer Biology, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, USA
| | - Alexander R Stoller
- Young Women's Breast Cancer Translational Program, Division of Medical Oncology, University of Colorado Cancer Center, 12801 E 17th Ave, RC1 South, Mailstop 8117, Aurora, CO, 80045, USA
- Division of Medical Oncology, Anschutz Medical Center, University of Colorado, Aurora, CO, USA
| | - Sarah A Black
- University of Colorado School of Medicine, Aurora, CO, USA
| | - Traci R Lyons
- Young Women's Breast Cancer Translational Program, Division of Medical Oncology, University of Colorado Cancer Center, 12801 E 17th Ave, RC1 South, Mailstop 8117, Aurora, CO, 80045, USA.
- Division of Medical Oncology, Anschutz Medical Center, University of Colorado, Aurora, CO, USA.
- Graduate Program in Cancer Biology, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, USA.
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6
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Hitchcock JR, Hughes K, Harris OB, Watson CJ. Dynamic architectural interplay between leucocytes and mammary epithelial cells. FEBS J 2019; 287:250-266. [PMID: 31691481 PMCID: PMC7003847 DOI: 10.1111/febs.15126] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/13/2019] [Revised: 08/19/2019] [Accepted: 11/04/2019] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
The adult mammary gland undergoes dynamic changes during puberty and the postnatal developmental cycle. The mammary epithelium is composed of a bilayer of outer basal, or myoepithelial, cells and inner luminal cells, the latter lineage giving rise to the milk-producing alveolar cells during pregnancy. These luminal alveolar cells undergo Stat3-mediated programmed cell death following the cessation of lactation. It is established that immune cells in the microenvironment of the gland have a role to play both in the ductal outgrowth during puberty and in the removal of dead cells and remodelling of the stroma during the process of postlactational regression. However, most studies have focussed on the role of the stromal immune cell compartment or have quantified immune cell populations in tissue extracts. Our recent development of protocols for deep imaging of the mammary gland in three dimensions (3D) has enabled the architectural relationship between immune cells and the epithelium to be examined in detail, and we have discovered a surprisingly dynamic relationship between the basal epithelium and leucocytes. Furthermore, we have observed morphological changes in the myoepithelial cells, as involution progresses, which were not revealed by previous work in 2D tissue sections and whole tissue. This dynamic architecture suggests a role for myoepithelial cells in the orderly progression of involution. We conclude that deep imaging of mammary gland and other tissues is essential for analysing complex interactions between cellular compartments.
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7
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Betterman KL, Harvey NL. Histological and Morphological Characterization of Developing Dermal Lymphatic Vessels. Methods Mol Biol 2018; 1846:19-35. [PMID: 30242750 DOI: 10.1007/978-1-4939-8712-2_2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/27/2023]
Abstract
The capacity to visualize the lymphatic vasculature in three-dimensions has revolutionized our understanding of the morphogenetic mechanisms important for constructing the lymphatic vascular network during development. Two complementary approaches are commonly employed to assess the function of genes and signaling pathways important for development of the dermal lymphatic vasculature in the mouse embryo. The first of these is whole-mount immunostaining of embryonic skin to analyze dermal lymphatic vessel network patterning and morphology in two and three dimensions. The second is immunostaining of thin tissue sections to examine lymphatic vessel identity, lumen formation and protein localization within discrete lymphatic endothelial cells in a two-dimensional setting. Here we present detailed protocols for multicolor immunofluorescent immunostaining of embryonic dorsal skin and thin tissue cryosections. Each of these methods generates high-resolution images of the dermal lymphatic vasculature, yielding information integral to in-depth characterization of lymphatic vessel phenotypes in the developing mouse embryo.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kelly L Betterman
- Centre for Cancer Biology, University of South Australia and SA Pathology, Adelaide, SA, Australia
| | - Natasha L Harvey
- Centre for Cancer Biology, University of South Australia and SA Pathology, Adelaide, SA, Australia.
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8
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Baluk P, Yao LC, Flores JC, Choi D, Hong YK, McDonald DM. Rapamycin reversal of VEGF-C-driven lymphatic anomalies in the respiratory tract. JCI Insight 2017; 2:90103. [PMID: 28814666 DOI: 10.1172/jci.insight.90103] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/11/2016] [Accepted: 07/06/2017] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Lymphatic malformations are serious but poorly understood conditions that present therapeutic challenges. The goal of this study was to compare strategies for inducing regression of abnormal lymphatics and explore underlying mechanisms. CCSP-rtTA/tetO-VEGF-C mice, in which doxycycline regulates VEGF-C expression in the airway epithelium, were used as a model of pulmonary lymphangiectasia. After doxycycline was stopped, VEGF-C expression returned to normal, but lymphangiectasia persisted for at least 9 months. Inhibition of VEGFR-2/VEGFR-3 signaling, Notch, β-adrenergic receptors, or autophagy and antiinflammatory steroids had no noticeable effect on the amount or severity of lymphangiectasia. However, rapamycin inhibition of mTOR reduced lymphangiectasia by 76% within 7 days without affecting normal lymphatics. Efficacy of rapamycin was not increased by coadministration with the other agents. In prevention trials, rapamycin suppressed VEGF-C-driven mTOR phosphorylation and lymphatic endothelial cell sprouting and proliferation. However, in reversal trials, no lymphatic endothelial cell proliferation was present to block in established lymphangiectasia, and rapamycin did not increase caspase-dependent apoptosis. However, rapamycin potently suppressed Prox1 and VEGFR-3. These experiments revealed that lymphangiectasia is remarkably resistant to regression but is responsive to rapamycin, which rapidly reduces and normalizes the abnormal lymphatics without affecting normal lymphatics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Peter Baluk
- Cardiovascular Research Institute, Department of Anatomy, and Helen Diller Family Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, California, USA
| | - Li-Chin Yao
- Cardiovascular Research Institute, Department of Anatomy, and Helen Diller Family Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, California, USA
| | - Julio C Flores
- Cardiovascular Research Institute, Department of Anatomy, and Helen Diller Family Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, California, USA
| | - Dongwon Choi
- Norris Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California, USA
| | - Young-Kwon Hong
- Norris Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California, USA
| | - Donald M McDonald
- Cardiovascular Research Institute, Department of Anatomy, and Helen Diller Family Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, California, USA
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9
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Borges VF, Elder AM, Lyons TR. Deciphering Pro-Lymphangiogenic Programs during Mammary Involution and Postpartum Breast Cancer. Front Oncol 2016; 6:227. [PMID: 27853703 PMCID: PMC5090124 DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2016.00227] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/30/2016] [Accepted: 10/10/2016] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Postpartum breast cancers are a highly metastatic subset of young women’s breast cancers defined as breast cancers diagnosed in the postpartum period or within 5 years of last child birth. Women diagnosed with postpartum breast cancer are nearly twice as likely to develop metastasis and to die from breast cancer when compared with nulliparous women. Additionally, epidemiological studies utilizing multiple cohorts also suggest that nearly half of all breast cancers in women aged <45 qualify as postpartum cases. Understanding the biology that underlies this increased risk for metastasis and death may lead to identification of targeted interventions that will benefit the large number of young women with breast cancer who fall into this subset. Preclinical mouse models of postpartum breast cancer have revealed that breast tumor cells become more aggressive if they are present during the normal physiologic process of postpartum mammary gland involution in mice. As involution appears to be a period of lymphatic growth and remodeling, and human postpartum breast cancers have high peritumor lymphatic vessel density (LVD) and increased incidence of lymph node metastasis (1, 2), we propose that novel insight into is to be gained through the study of the biological mechanisms driving normal postpartum mammary lymphangiogenesis as well as in the microenvironment of postpartum tumors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Virginia F Borges
- Young Women's Breast Cancer Translational Program, University of Colorado Cancer Center, Aurora, CO, USA; Department of Medicine, Division of Medical Oncology, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, USA
| | - Alan M Elder
- Young Women's Breast Cancer Translational Program, University of Colorado Cancer Center, Aurora, CO, USA; Department of Medicine, Division of Medical Oncology, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, USA
| | - Traci R Lyons
- Young Women's Breast Cancer Translational Program, University of Colorado Cancer Center, Aurora, CO, USA; Department of Medicine, Division of Medical Oncology, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, USA
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10
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Linnemann JR, Miura H, Meixner LK, Irmler M, Kloos UJ, Hirschi B, Bartsch HS, Sass S, Beckers J, Theis FJ, Gabka C, Sotlar K, Scheel CH. Quantification of regenerative potential in primary human mammary epithelial cells. Development 2015; 142:3239-51. [PMID: 26071498 PMCID: PMC4582177 DOI: 10.1242/dev.123554] [Citation(s) in RCA: 87] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/20/2015] [Accepted: 05/08/2015] [Indexed: 01/13/2023]
Abstract
We present an organoid regeneration assay in which freshly isolated human mammary epithelial cells are cultured in adherent or floating collagen gels, corresponding to a rigid or compliant matrix environment. In both conditions, luminal progenitors form spheres, whereas basal cells generate branched ductal structures. In compliant but not rigid collagen gels, branching ducts form alveoli at their tips, express basal and luminal markers at correct positions, and display contractility, which is required for alveologenesis. Thereby, branched structures generated in compliant collagen gels resemble terminal ductal-lobular units (TDLUs), the functional units of the mammary gland. Using the membrane metallo-endopeptidase CD10 as a surface marker enriches for TDLU formation and reveals the presence of stromal cells within the CD49f(hi)/EpCAM(-) population. In summary, we describe a defined in vitro assay system to quantify cells with regenerative potential and systematically investigate their interaction with the physical environment at distinct steps of morphogenesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jelena R Linnemann
- Institute of Stem Cell Research, Helmholtz Center for Health and Environmental Research Munich, Neuherberg 85764, Germany
| | - Haruko Miura
- Institute of Stem Cell Research, Helmholtz Center for Health and Environmental Research Munich, Neuherberg 85764, Germany
| | - Lisa K Meixner
- Institute of Stem Cell Research, Helmholtz Center for Health and Environmental Research Munich, Neuherberg 85764, Germany
| | - Martin Irmler
- Institute of Experimental Genetics, Helmholtz Center Munich, Neuherberg 85764, Germany
| | - Uwe J Kloos
- Institute of Stem Cell Research, Helmholtz Center for Health and Environmental Research Munich, Neuherberg 85764, Germany
| | - Benjamin Hirschi
- Institute of Stem Cell Research, Helmholtz Center for Health and Environmental Research Munich, Neuherberg 85764, Germany
| | - Harald S Bartsch
- Institute of Pathology, Medical School, Ludwig Maximilian University Munich, Munich 80337, Germany
| | - Steffen Sass
- Institute of Computational Biology, Helmholtz Center Munich, Neuherberg 85764, Germany
| | - Johannes Beckers
- Institute of Experimental Genetics, Helmholtz Center Munich, Neuherberg 85764, Germany Department of Experimental Genetics, Technical University Munich, Freising 85354, Germany
| | - Fabian J Theis
- Institute of Computational Biology, Helmholtz Center Munich, Neuherberg 85764, Germany Department of Mathematics, Technical University Munich, Garching 85747, Germany
| | - Christian Gabka
- Nymphenburg Clinic for Plastic and Aesthetic Surgery, Munich 80637, Germany
| | - Karl Sotlar
- Institute of Pathology, Medical School, Ludwig Maximilian University Munich, Munich 80337, Germany
| | - Christina H Scheel
- Institute of Stem Cell Research, Helmholtz Center for Health and Environmental Research Munich, Neuherberg 85764, Germany
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11
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Inman JL, Robertson C, Mott JD, Bissell MJ. Mammary gland development: cell fate specification, stem cells and the microenvironment. Development 2015; 142:1028-42. [DOI: 10.1242/dev.087643] [Citation(s) in RCA: 279] [Impact Index Per Article: 31.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
The development of the mammary gland is unique: the final stages of development occur postnatally at puberty under the influence of hormonal cues. Furthermore, during the life of the female, the mammary gland can undergo many rounds of expansion and proliferation. The mammary gland thus provides an excellent model for studying the ‘stem/progenitor’ cells that allow this repeated expansion and renewal. In this Review, we provide an overview of the different cell types that constitute the mammary gland, and discuss how these cell types arise and differentiate. As cellular differentiation cannot occur without proper signals, we also describe how the tissue microenvironment influences mammary gland development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jamie L. Inman
- Life Sciences Division, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, University of California, Berkeley, CA 94720, USA
| | - Claire Robertson
- Life Sciences Division, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, University of California, Berkeley, CA 94720, USA
| | - Joni D. Mott
- Life Sciences Division, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, University of California, Berkeley, CA 94720, USA
| | - Mina J. Bissell
- Life Sciences Division, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, University of California, Berkeley, CA 94720, USA
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12
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Mahadevan A, Welsh IC, Sivakumar A, Gludish DW, Shilvock AR, Noden DM, Huss D, Lansford R, Kurpios NA. The left-right Pitx2 pathway drives organ-specific arterial and lymphatic development in the intestine. Dev Cell 2014; 31:690-706. [PMID: 25482882 PMCID: PMC4326534 DOI: 10.1016/j.devcel.2014.11.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 80] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/18/2014] [Revised: 09/29/2014] [Accepted: 10/31/2014] [Indexed: 01/16/2023]
Abstract
The dorsal mesentery (DM) is the major conduit for blood and lymphatic vessels in the gut. The mechanisms underlying their morphogenesis are challenging to study and remain unknown. Here we show that arteriogenesis in the DM begins during gut rotation and proceeds strictly on the left side, dependent on the Pitx2 target gene Cxcl12. Although competent Cxcr4-positive angioblasts are present on the right, they fail to form vessels and progressively emigrate. Surprisingly, gut lymphatics also initiate in the left DM and arise only after-and dependent on-arteriogenesis, implicating arteries as drivers of gut lymphangiogenesis. Our data begin to unravel the origin of two distinct vascular systems and demonstrate how early left-right molecular asymmetries are translated into organ-specific vascular patterns. We propose a dual origin of gut lymphangiogenesis in which prior arterial growth is required to initiate local lymphatics that only subsequently connect to the vascular system.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aparna Mahadevan
- Department of Molecular Medicine, College of Veterinary Medicine, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853, USA
| | - Ian C Welsh
- Department of Molecular Medicine, College of Veterinary Medicine, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853, USA
| | - Aravind Sivakumar
- Department of Molecular Medicine, College of Veterinary Medicine, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853, USA
| | - David W Gludish
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853, USA
| | - Abigail R Shilvock
- Department of Molecular Medicine, College of Veterinary Medicine, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853, USA
| | - Drew M Noden
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853, USA
| | - David Huss
- Developmental Neuroscience Program and Department of Radiology, Saban Research Institute, Children's Hospital Los Angeles, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, 4661 Sunset Boulevard, Los Angeles, CA 90027, USA
| | - Rusty Lansford
- Developmental Neuroscience Program and Department of Radiology, Saban Research Institute, Children's Hospital Los Angeles, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, 4661 Sunset Boulevard, Los Angeles, CA 90027, USA
| | - Natasza A Kurpios
- Department of Molecular Medicine, College of Veterinary Medicine, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853, USA.
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13
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Lyons TR, Borges VF, Betts CB, Guo Q, Kapoor P, Martinson HA, Jindal S, Schedin P. Cyclooxygenase-2-dependent lymphangiogenesis promotes nodal metastasis of postpartum breast cancer. J Clin Invest 2014; 124:3901-12. [PMID: 25133426 DOI: 10.1172/jci73777] [Citation(s) in RCA: 94] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/17/2013] [Accepted: 06/19/2014] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Breast involution following pregnancy has been implicated in the high rates of metastasis observed in postpartum breast cancers; however, it is not clear how this remodeling process promotes metastasis. Here, we demonstrate that human postpartum breast cancers have increased peritumor lymphatic vessel density that correlates with increased frequency of lymph node metastases. Moreover, lymphatic vessel density was increased in normal postpartum breast tissue compared with tissue from nulliparous women. In rodents, mammary lymphangiogenesis was upregulated during weaning-induced mammary gland involution. Furthermore, breast cancer cells exposed to the involuting mammary microenvironment acquired prolymphangiogenic properties that contributed to peritumor lymphatic expansion, tumor size, invasion, and distant metastases. Finally, in rodent models of postpartum breast cancer, cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) inhibition during the involution window decreased normal mammary gland lymphangiogenesis, mammary tumor-associated lymphangiogenesis, tumor cell invasion into lymphatics, and metastasis. Our data indicate that physiologic COX-2-dependent lymphangiogenesis occurs in the postpartum mammary gland and suggest that tumors within this mammary microenvironment acquire enhanced prolymphangiogenic activity. Further, our results suggest that the prolymphangiogenic microenvironment of the postpartum mammary gland has potential as a target to inhibit metastasis and suggest that further study of the therapeutic efficacy of COX-2 inhibitors in postpartum breast cancer is warranted.
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14
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Abstract
Abstract
Lymphatic vasculature is increasingly recognized as an important factor both in the regulation of normal tissue homeostasis and immune response and in many diseases, such as inflammation, cancer, obesity, and hypertension. In the last few years, in addition to the central role of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF)-C/VEGF receptor-3 signaling in lymphangiogenesis, significant new insights were obtained about Notch, transforming growth factor β/bone morphogenetic protein, Ras, mitogen-activated protein kinase, phosphatidylinositol 3 kinase, and Ca2+/calcineurin signaling pathways in the control of growth and remodeling of lymphatic vessels. An emerging picture of lymphangiogenic signaling is complex and in many ways distinct from the regulation of angiogenesis. This complexity provides new challenges, but also new opportunities for selective therapeutic targeting of lymphatic vasculature.
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15
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Kaenel P, Hahnewald S, Wotzkow C, Strange R, Andres AC. Overexpression of EphB4 in the mammary epithelium shifts the differentiation pathway of progenitor cells and promotes branching activity and vascularization. Dev Growth Differ 2014; 56:255-75. [PMID: 24635767 DOI: 10.1111/dgd.12126] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/24/2013] [Revised: 02/02/2014] [Accepted: 02/04/2014] [Indexed: 01/16/2023]
Abstract
Postnatally, the mammary gland undergoes continuous morphogenesis and thereby is especially prone to malignant transformation. Thus, the maintenance of the epithelium depends on a tight control of stem cell recruitment. We have previously shown that epithelial overexpression of the EphB4 receptor results in defective mammary epithelial development and conferred a metastasizing tumor phenotype on experimental mouse mammary tumors accompanied by a preponderance of progenitor cells. To analyze the effect of EphB4 overexpression on mammary epithelial cell fate, we have used Fluorescence Activated Cell Sorting (FACS) analyses to quantify epithelial sub-populations and repopulation assays of cleared fat pads to investigate their regenerative potential. These experiments revealed that deregulated EphB4 expression leads to an augmentation of bi-potent progenitor cells and to a shift of the differentiation pathway towards the luminal lineage. The analyses of the ductal outgrowths indicated that EphB4 overexpression leads to enforced branching activity, impedes ductal differentiation and stimulates angiogenesis. To elucidate the mechanisms forwarding EphB4 signals, we have compared the expression profile of defined cell populations between EphB4 transgene and wild type mammary glands concentrating on the wnt signaling pathway and on genes implicated in cell migration. With respect to wnt signaling, the progenitor cell population was the most affected, whereas the stem cell-enriched population showed the most pronounced deregulation of migration-associated genes. Thus, the luminal epithelial EphB4 signaling contributes, most likely via wnt signaling, to the regulation of migration and cell fate of early progenitors and is involved in the determination of branching points along the ductal tree.
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Affiliation(s)
- Philip Kaenel
- Department of Clinical Research, University of Bern, Tiefenaustrasse 120c, CH-3004, Bern, Switzerland
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16
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Blei F. Update December 2013. Lymphat Res Biol 2013. [DOI: 10.1089/lrb.2013.1142] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
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17
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Bielenberg DR, D'Amore PA. All vessels are not created equal. THE AMERICAN JOURNAL OF PATHOLOGY 2013; 182:1087-91. [PMID: 23422091 DOI: 10.1016/j.ajpath.2013.01.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/22/2013] [Accepted: 01/30/2013] [Indexed: 01/01/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Diane R Bielenberg
- Vascular Biology Program, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
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