Leptin enhances STAT-3 phosphorylation in HC11 cell line: effect on cell differentiation and cell viability

Microenvironmental control of cell fate decisions in mammary gland development and cancer

Cell fate decisions are critical for adequate tissue development, maintenance and regeneration. In the mammary gland, epithelial cell fates are tightly controlled by the microenvironment. Here, we review how cell fate decisions are regulated by components of the microenvironment during mammary gland development and how pathological changes in the microenvironment can alter cell fates, leading to malignancy. Specifically, we describe the current understanding of how mammary cell fate is controlled and directed by three elements: the extracellular matrix, the immune microenvironment, and hormones-and how these elements can converge to create microenvironments that promote a fourth element: DNA damage.

Regulation of the JAK2-STAT5 Pathway by Signaling Molecules in the Mammary Gland

Janus kinase 2 (JAK2) and signal transducers and activators of transcription 5 (STAT5) are involved in the proliferation, differentiation, and survival of mammary gland epithelial cells. Dysregulation of JAK2-STAT5 activity invariably leads to mammary gland developmental defects and/or diseases, including breast cancer. Proper functioning of the JAK2-STAT5 signaling pathway relies on crosstalk with other signaling pathways (synergistically or antagonistically), which leads to normal biological performance. This review highlights recent progress regarding the critical components of the JAK2-STAT5 pathway and its crosstalk with G-protein coupled receptor (GPCR) signaling, PI3K-Akt signaling, growth factors, inflammatory cytokines, hormone receptors, and cell adhesion.

Development of Foreign Mammary Epithelial Morphology in the Stroma of Immunodeficient Mice

Systemic growth and branching stimuli, and appropriate interactions with the host stroma are essential for the development of foreign epithelia in the mammary gland of immunodeficient mice. These factors were manipulated to promote and investigate the generation of representative bovine epithelial morphology in the transplanted mouse mammary stroma. The bovine mammary epithelium is unique in its commitment to rapid proliferation and high rate of differentiation. Its morphological organization within a fibrotic stroma resembles that of the human breast, and differs significantly from the rudimentary ductal network that penetrates a fatty stroma in mice. Transplantation of bovine mammary epithelial cells into the cleared mammary fat pad of NOD-SCID mice led to continuous growth of epithelial structures. Multilayered hollow spheres developed within fibrotic areas, but in contrast to mice, no epithelial organization was formed between adipocytes. The multilayered spheres shared characteristics with the heifer gland’s epithelium, including lumen size, cell proliferation, cytokeratin orientation, estrogen/progesterone receptor expression and localization, and milk protein synthesis. However, they did not extend into the mouse fat pad via ductal morphology. Pre-transplantation of fibroblasts increased the number of spheres, but did not promote extension of bovine morphology. The bovine cells preserved their fate and rarely participated in chimeric mouse–bovine outgrowths. Nevertheless, a single case of terminal ductal lobuloalveolar unit (TDLU) development was recorded in mice treated with estrogen and progesterone, implying the feasibility of this representative bovine morphology’s development. In vitro extension of these studies revealed paracrine inhibition of bovine epithelial mammosphere development by adipocytes, which was also generalized to breast epithelial mammosphere formation. The rescue of mammosphere development by fibroblast growth factor administration evidences an active equilibrium between inhibitory and supportive effects exerted by the adipose and fibrotic regions of the stroma, respectively, which determines the development of foreign epithelium.

Female heterozygous (+/fa) Zucker rats as a novel leptin-related mammary carcinogenesis model

The homozygous mutant fatty Zucker rat (fa/fa) is the prominent model for the research of obesity, one of the most well-known risk factor of postmenopausal mammary cancer. But the usage as a mammary gland carcinogenesis model is considered to be restricted due to the hypoplasia of mammary gland. In the present study, to find the validity of heterozygous mutant (+/fa) lean Zucker rats as a new leptin-related mammary carcinogenesis model, we examined whether the number of terminal end buds of mammary gland, the serum biochemistry, leptin concentration in serum and adipose tissue are changed in 7-week-old female +/+, +/fa and fa/fa rats, and whether these changes and leptin, TNF-α and VEGF mRNA expression in adipose tissue of +/+ and +/fa rats are influenced by 10% corn oil diet for 5 weeks. We confirmed that mild hyperleptinemia was more pronounced in 7-week-old +/fa as compared with wild type (+/+) and hypoplasia of mammary glands characterized by fewer numbers of terminal end buds in fa/fa was not observed in +/fa. With 10% corn oil diet, leptin mRNA expression in adipose tissue showed increasing tendency both in +/fa and +/+. Comparing with +/+, adipose tissue in +/fa treated with 10% corn oil diet was found to be significantly increased in the concentration of leptin protein and tended to be elevated expression of TNF-α mRNA. These results suggest that +/fa with 10% corn oil diet may be a useful model for investigation of the participation of leptin and TNF-α in mammary gland carcinogenesis.

Expression and function of leptin and its receptor in dairy goat mammary gland

Leptin is an autocrine and paracrine factor which affects the development and function of mammary gland. The purpose of this study was to investigate the presence and regulatory effect of leptin in Chinese Guan Zhong dairy goat mammary gland from the virgin state to involution. The protein expression and localization of leptin and its long form receptor (OB-Rb) were detected by western blot and a confocal laser scanning microscope. Explants were cultured to detect the impacts of leptin on mammary gland, western blot was used to research leptin signal transduction pathway in pregnancy, lactation and involution. Leptin and amounts of OB-Rb protein were high throughout the virgin stage and at the beginning of pregnancy, lower at mid-pregnancy and throughout lactation, then higher at involution. Immunofluorescence performed with the anti-leptin and anti-leptin receptor antibody showed labelling located in adipose, epithelial cells, or extracellular matrix at different stages. The localization of leptin and OB-Rb revealed that leptin induced the expression of OB-Rb specifically and controlled the development and physiological function of the mammary gland by binding to OB-Rb. Leptin stimulated the proliferation and differentiation of ductal epithelial cells in pregnancy by JAK-MAPK signal pathway, enhanced the amount of β-casein in cultured lactating mammary gland by JAK-STAT5 signal pathway, made the mammary duct disappear and induced apoptosis of mammary epithelial cells and mammary gland restitution by JAK-STAT3 signal pathway in involution. Overall, this study demonstrated the importance and complexity of leptin and OB-Rb during mammary gland development and provides a valuable resource for future research in this area.

Curcuminoid-phospholipid complex induces apoptosis in mammary epithelial cells by STAT-3 signaling

Curcumin (from the rhizome of Curcuma longa) is well documented for its medicinal properties in Indian and Chinese systems of medicine where it is widely used for the treatment of several diseases. Epidemiological observations are suggestive that curcumin consumption may reduce the risk of some form of cancers and provide other protective biological effects in humans. These biological properties have been attributed to curcuminoids that have been widely studied for their anti-inflammatory, anti-angiogenic, antioxidant, wound healing and anti-cancer effects. In this study we have investigated on the effect of a curcumin phospholipid complex on mammary epithelial cell viability. HC11 and BME-UV cell lines, validated models to study biology of normal, not tumoral, mammary epithelial cells, were used to analyse these effects. We report that curcumin acts on STAT-3 signal pathway to reduce cell viability and increase apoptosis evaluated by the the amount of activated caspase 3. Further it reduces MAPK and AKT activations. JSI-124, a STAT-3 inhibitor (100 nM) was able to block the negative effect of curcumin on cell viability and caspase 3 activation. Finally the negative effect of cucumin on cell viability has been impaired in STAT-3i HC11, where STAT-3 protein was greatly reduced by shRNA-interference. These results indicate that curcumin presents a potential adverse effect to normal mammary epithelial cells and that it has a specific effect on signal trasduction in mammary epithelium.

Positive effect of silymarin on cell growth and differentiation in bovine and murine mammary cells

Silymarin, a naturally acknowledged hepatoprotector used in humans to treat liver diseases has been tested in murine (HC11) and bovine (BME-UV) mammary epithelial cell lines to evaluate a possible direct effect on cell growth and differentiation in mammary gland. Silymarin enhanced cell proliferation (p < 0.05) from 10 to 1000 ng/ml in association with growth factors, (up to 20%) or alone (up to 15%) versus controls. Furthermore, silymarin (100 ng/ml) was able to increase (p < 0.05) beta-casein gene expression alone or in association with prolactin (5 microg/ml). These effects may be related with protein kinase B (AKT) activation induced by silymarin treatment (p < 0.05) and/or by a dose-related inhibitory effect (p < 0.05) on caspase-3 activity related to a protective role in cell apoptosis. These data suggest that silymarin should be considered a candidate to support mammary gland activity during a lactogenetic state.