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Ortiz JR, Lewis SM, Ciccone M, Chatterjee D, Henry S, Siepel A, Dos Santos CO. Single-Cell Transcription Mapping of Murine and Human Mammary Organoids Responses to Female Hormones. J Mammary Gland Biol Neoplasia 2024; 29:3. [PMID: 38289401 PMCID: PMC10827859 DOI: 10.1007/s10911-023-09553-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/28/2023] [Accepted: 12/18/2023] [Indexed: 02/01/2024] Open
Abstract
During female adolescence and pregnancy, rising levels of hormones result in a cyclic source of signals that control the development of mammary tissue. While such alterations are well understood from a whole-gland perspective, the alterations that such hormones bring to organoid cultures derived from mammary glands have yet to be fully mapped. This is of special importance given that organoids are considered suitable systems to understand cross species breast development. Here we utilized single-cell transcriptional profiling to delineate responses of murine and human normal breast organoid systems to female hormones across evolutionary distinct species. Collectively, our study represents a molecular atlas of epithelial dynamics in response to estrogen and pregnancy hormones.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Steven M Lewis
- Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, Cold Spring Harbor, NY, 11724, USA
- Graduate Program in Genetics, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY, 11794, USA
| | - Michael Ciccone
- Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, Cold Spring Harbor, NY, 11724, USA
| | | | - Samantha Henry
- Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, Cold Spring Harbor, NY, 11724, USA
- Graduate Program in Genetics, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY, 11794, USA
| | - Adam Siepel
- Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, Cold Spring Harbor, NY, 11724, USA
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2
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Ortiz JR, Lewis SM, Ciccone MF, Chatterjee D, Henry S, Siepel A, Dos Santos CO. Single-cell transcription mapping of murine and human mammary organoids responses to female hormones. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.09.28.559971. [PMID: 37808747 PMCID: PMC10557705 DOI: 10.1101/2023.09.28.559971] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/10/2023]
Abstract
During female adolescence and pregnancy, rising levels of hormones result in a cyclic source of signals that control the development of mammary tissue. While such alterations are well understood from a whole-gland perspective, the alterations that such hormones bring to organoid cultures derived from mammary glands have yet to be fully mapped. This is of special importance given that organoids are considered suitable systems to understand cross species breast development. Here we utilized single-cell transcriptional profiling to delineate responses of murine and human normal breast organoid systems to female hormones across evolutionary distinct species. Collectively, our study represents a molecular atlas of epithelial dynamics in response to estrogen and pregnancy hormones.
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3
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Ruddenklau A, Glendining K, Prescott M, Campbell RE. Validation of a new Custom Polyclonal Progesterone Receptor Antibody for Immunohistochemistry in the Female Mouse Brain. J Endocr Soc 2023; 7:bvad113. [PMID: 37693686 PMCID: PMC10492226 DOI: 10.1210/jendso/bvad113] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/07/2023] [Indexed: 09/12/2023] Open
Abstract
Immunohistochemical visualization of progesterone receptor (PR)-expressing cells in the brain is a powerful technique to investigate the role of progesterone in the neuroendocrine regulation of fertility. A major obstacle to the immunohistochemical visualization of progesterone-sensitive cells in the rodent brain has been the discontinuation of the commercially produced A0098 rabbit polyclonal PR antibody by DAKO. To address the unavailability of this widely used PR antibody, we optimized and evaluated 4 alternative commercial PR antibodies and found that each lacked the specificity and/or sensitivity to immunohistochemically label PR-expressing cells in paraformaldehyde-fixed female mouse brain sections. As a result, we developed and validated a new custom RC269 PR antibody, directed against the same 533-547 amino acid sequence of the human PR as the discontinued A0098 DAKO PR antibody. Immunohistochemical application of the RC269 PR antibody on paraformaldehyde-fixed mouse brain sections resulted in nuclear PR labeling that was highly distinguishable from background, specific to its antigen, highly regulated by estradiol, matched the known distribution of PR protein expression in the female mouse hypothalamus, and nearly identical to that of the discontinued A0098 DAKO PR antibody. In summary, the RC269 PR antibody is a specific and sensitive antibody to immunohistochemically visualize PR-expressing cells in the mouse brain.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amy Ruddenklau
- Centre for Neuroendocrinology and Department of Physiology, School of Biomedical Sciences, University of Otago, Dunedin 9054, New Zealand
| | - Kelly Glendining
- Centre for Neuroendocrinology and Department of Physiology, School of Biomedical Sciences, University of Otago, Dunedin 9054, New Zealand
| | - Melanie Prescott
- Centre for Neuroendocrinology and Department of Physiology, School of Biomedical Sciences, University of Otago, Dunedin 9054, New Zealand
| | - Rebecca E Campbell
- Centre for Neuroendocrinology and Department of Physiology, School of Biomedical Sciences, University of Otago, Dunedin 9054, New Zealand
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Brune Z, Li D, Song S, Li DI, Castro I, Rasquinha R, Rice MR, Guo Q, Kampta K, Moss M, Lallo M, Pimenta E, Somerville C, Lapan M, Nelson V, Dos Santos CO, Blanc L, Pruitt K, Barnes BJ. Loss of IRF5 increases ribosome biogenesis leading to alterations in mammary gland architecture and metastasis. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.05.01.538998. [PMID: 37292919 PMCID: PMC10246023 DOI: 10.1101/2023.05.01.538998] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
Despite the progress made in identifying cellular factors and mechanisms that predict progression and metastasis, breast cancer remains the second leading cause of death for women in the US. Using The Cancer Genome Atlas and mouse models of spontaneous and invasive mammary tumorigenesis, we identified that loss of function of interferon regulatory factor 5 (IRF5) is a predictor of metastasis and survival. Histologic analysis of Irf5 -/- mammary glands revealed expansion of luminal and myoepithelial cells, loss of organized glandular structure, and altered terminal end budding and migration. RNA-seq and ChIP-seq analyses of primary mammary epithelial cells from Irf5 +/+ and Irf5 -/- littermate mice revealed IRF5-mediated transcriptional regulation of proteins involved in ribosomal biogenesis. Using an invasive model of breast cancer lacking Irf5 , we demonstrate that IRF5 re-expression inhibits tumor growth and metastasis via increased trafficking of tumor infiltrating lymphocytes and altered tumor cell protein synthesis. These findings uncover a new function for IRF5 in the regulation of mammary tumorigenesis and metastasis. Highlights Loss of IRF5 is a predictor of metastasis and survival in breast cancer.IRF5 contributes to the regulation of ribosome biogenesis in mammary epithelial cells.Loss of IRF5 function in mammary epithelial cells leads to increased protein translation.
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Han S, Chen X, Li Z. Innate Immune Program in Formation of Tumor-Initiating Cells from Cells-of-Origin of Breast, Prostate, and Ovarian Cancers. Cancers (Basel) 2023; 15:cancers15030757. [PMID: 36765715 PMCID: PMC9913549 DOI: 10.3390/cancers15030757] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/31/2022] [Revised: 01/18/2023] [Accepted: 01/24/2023] [Indexed: 01/28/2023] Open
Abstract
Tumor-initiating cells (TICs), also known as cancer stem cells (CSCs), are cancer cells that can initiate a tumor, possess self-renewal capacity, and can contribute to tumor heterogeneity. TICs/CSCs are developed from their cells-of-origin. In breast, prostate, and ovarian cancers, progenitor cells for mammary alveolar cells, prostate luminal (secretory) cells, and fallopian tube secretory cells are the preferred cellular origins for their corresponding cancer types. These luminal progenitors (LPs) express common innate immune program (e.g., Toll-like receptor (TLR) signaling)-related genes. Microbes such as bacteria are now found in breast, prostate, and fallopian tube tissues and their corresponding cancer types, raising the possibility that their LPs may sense the presence of microbes and trigger their innate immune/TLR pathways, leading to an inflammatory microenvironment. Crosstalk between immune cells (e.g., macrophages) and affected epithelial cells (e.g., LPs) may eventually contribute to formation of TICs/CSCs from their corresponding LPs, in part via STAT3 and/or NFκB pathways. As such, TICs/CSCs can inherit expression of innate-immunity/TLR-pathway-related genes from their cells-of-origin; the innate immune program may also represent their unique vulnerability, which can be explored therapeutically (e.g., by enhancing immunotherapy via augmenting TLR signaling).
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Affiliation(s)
- Sen Han
- Division of Genetics, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Boston, MA 02115, USA
- Department of Medicine, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Xueqing Chen
- Division of Genetics, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Boston, MA 02115, USA
- Department of Medicine, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Zhe Li
- Division of Genetics, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Boston, MA 02115, USA
- Department of Medicine, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +1-617-525-4740
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Palin MF, Caron A, Farmer C. Effects of sustained hyperprolactinemia in late gestation on the mammary parenchymal tissue transcriptome of gilts. BMC Genomics 2023; 24:40. [PMID: 36694114 PMCID: PMC9875420 DOI: 10.1186/s12864-023-09136-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/22/2022] [Accepted: 01/13/2023] [Indexed: 01/26/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Gilts experiencing sustained hyperprolactinemia from d 90 to 109 of gestation showed an early onset of lactogenesis coupled with premature mammary involution. To better understand the molecular mechanisms underlying the premature mammary involution observed in these gilts, a transcriptomic analysis was undertaken. Therefore, this study aimed to explore the effect of hyperprolactinemia on the global transcriptome in the mammary tissue of late gestating gilts and identify the molecular pathways involved in triggering premature mammary involution. METHODS On d 90 of gestation, gilts received daily injections of (1) canola oil until d 109 ± 1 of gestation (CTL, n = 18); (2) domperidone (to induce hyperprolactinemia) until d 96 ± 1 of gestation (T7, n = 17) or; (3) domperidone (until d 109 ± 1 of gestation (T20, n = 17). Mammary tissue was collected on d 110 of gestation and total RNA was isolated from six CTL and six T20 gilts for microarray analysis. The GeneChip® Porcine Gene 1.0 ST Array was used for hybridization. Functional enrichment analyses were performed to explore the biological significance of differentially expressed genes, using the DAVID bioinformatics resource. RESULTS The expression of 335 genes was up-regulated and that of 505 genes down-regulated in the mammary tissue of T20 vs CTL gilts. Biological process GO terms and KEGG pathways enriched in T20 vs CTL gilts reflected the concurrent premature lactogenesis and mammary involution. When looking at individual genes, it appears that mammary cells from T20 gilts can simultaneously upregulate the transcription of milk proteins such as WAP, CSN1S2 and LALBA, and genes triggering mammary involution such as STAT3, OSMR and IL6R. The down-regulation of PRLR expression and up-regulation of genes known to inactivate the JAK-STAT5 pathway (CISH, PTPN6) suggest the presence of a negative feedback loop trying to counteract the effects of hyperprolactinemia. CONCLUSIONS Genes and pathways identified in this study suggest that sustained hyperprolactinemia during late-pregnancy, in the absence of suckling piglets, sends conflicting pro-survival and cell death signals to mammary epithelial cells. Reception of these signals results in a mammary gland that can simultaneously synthesize milk proteins and initiate mammary involution.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marie-France Palin
- grid.55614.330000 0001 1302 4958Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, Sherbrooke R & D Centre, Sherbrooke, QC Canada
| | - Anouk Caron
- grid.23856.3a0000 0004 1936 8390Université Laval, Québec, QC Canada
| | - Chantal Farmer
- grid.55614.330000 0001 1302 4958Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, Sherbrooke R & D Centre, Sherbrooke, QC Canada
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Szabova L, Gordon MB, Lu L, Pate N, Bassel L, Iacovelli AJ, Karim B, Homan PJ, Householder DB, Guerin TM, Burkett S, Day AM, Custer W, Weaver Ohler Z. Loss of Brca1 and Trp53 in adult mouse mammary ductal epithelium results in development of hormone receptor-positive or hormone receptor-negative tumors, depending on inactivation of Rb family proteins. Breast Cancer Res 2022; 24:75. [PMID: 36333737 PMCID: PMC9636824 DOI: 10.1186/s13058-022-01566-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/07/2022] [Accepted: 10/08/2022] [Indexed: 11/06/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Breast cancer is a heterogenous disease with several histological and molecular subtypes. Models that represent these subtypes are essential for translational research aimed at improving clinical strategy for targeted therapeutics. METHODS Different combinations of genetic aberrations (Brca1 and Trp53 loss, and inhibition of proteins of the Rb family) were induced in the mammary gland by injection of adenovirus expressing Cre recombinase into the mammary ducts of adult genetically engineered mice. Mammary tumors with different genetic aberrations were classified into molecular subtypes based on expression of molecular markers and RNAseq analysis. In vitro potency assays and Western blots were used to examine their drug sensitivities. RESULTS Induction of Brca1 and Trp53 loss in mammary ductal epithelium resulted in development of basal-like hormone receptor (HR)-negative mammary tumors. Inhibition of Rb and Trp53 loss or the combination of Rb, Trp53 and Brca1 aberrations resulted in development of luminal ductal carcinoma positive for ER, PR, and Her2 expression. HR positivity in tumors with Rb, Trp53 and Brca1 aberrations indicated that functionality of the Rb pathway rather than Brca1 status affected HR status in these models. Mammary tumor gene expression profiles recapitulated human basal-like or luminal B breast cancer signatures, but HR-positive luminal cancer models were endocrine resistant and exhibited upregulation of PI3K signaling and sensitivity to this pathway inhibition. Furthermore, both tumor subtypes were resistant to CDK4/6 inhibition. CONCLUSIONS Examination of molecular expression profiles and drug sensitivities of tumors indicate that these breast cancer models can be utilized as a translational platform for evaluation of targeted combinations to improve chemotherapeutic response in patients that no longer respond to hormone therapy or that are resistant to CDK4/6 inhibition.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ludmila Szabova
- Center for Advanced Preclinical Research, Frederick National Laboratory for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, Frederick, MD, USA.
| | - Melanie B Gordon
- Center for Advanced Preclinical Research, Frederick National Laboratory for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, Frederick, MD, USA
| | - Lucy Lu
- Center for Advanced Preclinical Research, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Frederick, MD, USA
| | - Nathan Pate
- Center for Advanced Preclinical Research, Frederick National Laboratory for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, Frederick, MD, USA
- Sanofi,Global Discovery Pathology, Translational In Vivo Models Platform, Framingham, MA, USA
| | - Laura Bassel
- Center for Advanced Preclinical Research, Frederick National Laboratory for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, Frederick, MD, USA
| | - Anthony J Iacovelli
- Center for Advanced Preclinical Research, Frederick National Laboratory for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, Frederick, MD, USA
- Genentech, Inc., South San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Baktiar Karim
- Center for Advanced Preclinical Research, Frederick National Laboratory for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, Frederick, MD, USA
- Molecular Histopathology Laboratory, Frederick National Laboratory for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, Frederick, MD, USA
| | - Philip J Homan
- CCR Collaborative Bioinformatics Resource, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Deborah B Householder
- Center for Advanced Preclinical Research, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Frederick, MD, USA
| | - Theresa M Guerin
- Center for Advanced Preclinical Research, Frederick National Laboratory for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, Frederick, MD, USA
| | - Sandra Burkett
- Molecular Cytogenetics Core Facility, Mouse Cancer Genetics Program, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Frederick, MD, USA
| | - Amanda M Day
- Center for Advanced Preclinical Research, Frederick National Laboratory for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, Frederick, MD, USA
| | - Wendi Custer
- Center for Advanced Preclinical Research, Frederick National Laboratory for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, Frederick, MD, USA
| | - Zoe Weaver Ohler
- Center for Advanced Preclinical Research, Frederick National Laboratory for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, Frederick, MD, USA.
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8
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Abou-Fadel J, Jiang X, Grajeda B, Padarti A, Ellis CC, Flores E, Cailing-De La O AMD, Zhang J. CCM signaling complex (CSC) couples both classic and non-classic Progesterone receptor signaling. Cell Commun Signal 2022; 20:120. [PMID: 35971177 PMCID: PMC9377144 DOI: 10.1186/s12964-022-00926-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/07/2022] [Accepted: 06/30/2022] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Breast cancer, the most diagnosed cancer, remains the second leading cause of cancer death in the United States, and excessive Progesterone (PRG) or Mifepristone (MIF) exposure may be at an increased risk for developing breast cancer. PRG exerts its cellular responses through signaling cascades involving classic, non-classic, or combined responses by binding to either classic nuclear PRG receptors (nPRs) or non-classic membrane PRG receptors (mPRs). Currently, the intricate balance and switch mechanisms between these two signaling cascades remain elusive. Three genes, CCM1-3, form the CCM signaling complex (CSC) which mediates multiple signaling cascades. METHODS Utilizing molecular, cellular, Omics, and systems biology approaches, we analyzed the relationship among the CSC, PRG, and nPRs/mPRs during breast cancer tumorigenesis. RESULTS We discovered that the CSC plays an essential role in coupling both classic and non-classic PRG signaling pathways by mediating crosstalk between them, forming the CmPn (CSC-mPRs-PRG-nPRs) signaling network. We found that mPR-specific PRG actions (PRG + MIF) play an essential role in this CmPn network during breast cancer tumorigenesis. Additionally, we have identified 4 categories of candidate biomarkers (9 intrinsic, 2 PRG-inducible, 1 PRG-repressive, 1 mPR-specific PRG-repressive, and 2 mPR-responsive) for Luminal-A breast cancers during tumorigenesis and have confirmed the prognostic application of RPL13 and RPL38 as intrinsic biomarkers using a dual validation method. CONCLUSIONS We have discovered that the CSC plays an essential role in the CmPn signaling network for Luminal-A breast cancers with identification of two intrinsic biomarkers. Video Abstract.
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Affiliation(s)
- Johnathan Abou-Fadel
- Department of Molecular and Translational Medicine (MTM), Texas Tech University Health Science Center El Paso, 5001 El Paso Drive, El Paso, TX, 79905, USA
| | - Xiaoting Jiang
- Department of Molecular and Translational Medicine (MTM), Texas Tech University Health Science Center El Paso, 5001 El Paso Drive, El Paso, TX, 79905, USA
| | - Brian Grajeda
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Texas at El Paso, El Paso, TX, 79902, USA
| | - Akhil Padarti
- Department of Molecular and Translational Medicine (MTM), Texas Tech University Health Science Center El Paso, 5001 El Paso Drive, El Paso, TX, 79905, USA
| | - Cameron C Ellis
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Texas at El Paso, El Paso, TX, 79902, USA
| | - Esmeralda Flores
- Department of Molecular and Translational Medicine (MTM), Texas Tech University Health Science Center El Paso, 5001 El Paso Drive, El Paso, TX, 79905, USA
| | - Alyssa-Marie D Cailing-De La O
- Department of Molecular and Translational Medicine (MTM), Texas Tech University Health Science Center El Paso, 5001 El Paso Drive, El Paso, TX, 79905, USA
| | - Jun Zhang
- Department of Molecular and Translational Medicine (MTM), Texas Tech University Health Science Center El Paso, 5001 El Paso Drive, El Paso, TX, 79905, USA.
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Alveolar cells in the mammary gland: lineage commitment and cell death. Biochem J 2022; 479:995-1006. [PMID: 35551601 PMCID: PMC9162463 DOI: 10.1042/bcj20210734] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/24/2022] [Revised: 04/18/2022] [Accepted: 04/21/2022] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
The mammary gland provides a spectacular example of physiological cell death whereby the cells that produce milk during lactation are removed swiftly, efficiently, and without inducing inflammation upon the cessation of lactation. The milk-producing cells arise primarily during pregnancy and comprise the alveolar lineage that is specified by signalling pathways and factors that are activated in response to pregnancy hormones. There are at least two alveolar sub-lineages, one of which is marked by the presence of binucleate cells that are especially susceptible to programmed cell death during involution. This process of post-lactational regression, or involution, is carefully orchestrated and occurs in two phases, the first results in a rapid switch in cell fate with the secretory epithelial cells becoming phagocytes whereupon they destroy dead and dying cells from milk. This reversible phase is followed by the second phase that is marked by an influx of immune cells and a remodelling of the gland to replace the alveolar cells with re-differentiated adipocytes, resulting in a return to the pre-pregnant state in preparation for any subsequent pregnancies. The mouse mammary gland provides an excellent experimental tool with which to investigate lineage commitment and the mechanisms of programmed cell death that occur in a normal physiological process. Importantly, involution has highlighted a role for lysoptosis, a mechanism of cell death that is mediated by lysosomal cathepsins and their endogenous inhibitors, serpins. In this review, I discuss alveolar lineage commitment during pregnancy and the programmed cell death pathways that destroy these cells during involution.
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Rodilla V, Fre S. Lineage Tracing Methods to Study Mammary Epithelial Hierarchies In Vivo. Methods Mol Biol 2022; 2471:141-157. [PMID: 35175595 DOI: 10.1007/978-1-0716-2193-6_7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Lineage tracing is now considered the gold standard approach to study cellular hierarchies and cell fate in vivo (McKenna and Gagnon, Development 146:dev169730, 2019; Kretzschmar and Watt, Cell 148:33-45, 2012). This type of clonal analysis consists of genetically labeling defined cells and following their destiny and progeny in vivo and in situ.Here we will describe different existing in vivo systems to clonally trace targeted cells and will discuss their respective advantages and inconveniences; we will then provide stepwise instructions for setting up and evaluate lineage tracing experiments, listing the most common downstream analyses and read-out assays.
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Affiliation(s)
- Verónica Rodilla
- Cancer Heterogeneity and Hierarchies Group, Josep Carreras Leukaemia Research Institute (IJC), Badalona, Spain
| | - Silvia Fre
- Department of Genetics and Developmental Biology, Institut Curie, PSL Research University, INSERM U934, CNRS UMR3215, Paris, France.
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11
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Twigger AJ, Khaled WT. Mammary gland development from a single cell 'omics view. Semin Cell Dev Biol 2021; 114:171-185. [PMID: 33810979 PMCID: PMC8158430 DOI: 10.1016/j.semcdb.2021.03.013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/27/2020] [Revised: 03/09/2021] [Accepted: 03/21/2021] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Understanding the complexity and heterogeneity of mammary cell subpopulations is vital to delineate the mechanisms behind breast cancer development, progression and prevention. Increasingly sophisticated tools for investigating these cell subtypes has led to the development of a greater understanding of these cell subtypes, complex interplay of certain subtypes and their developmental potential. Of note, increasing accessibility and affordability of single cell technologies has led to a plethora of studies being published containing data from mammary cell subtypes and their differentiation potential in both mice and human data sets. Here, we review the different types of single cell technologies and how they have been used to improve our understanding of mammary gland development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alecia-Jane Twigger
- Department of Pharmacology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK; Wellcome-MRC Cambridge Stem Cell Institute, Cambridge, UK.
| | - Walid T Khaled
- Department of Pharmacology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK; Wellcome-MRC Cambridge Stem Cell Institute, Cambridge, UK.
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ΔN63 suppresses the ability of pregnancy-identified mammary epithelial cells (PIMECs) to drive HER2-positive breast cancer. Cell Death Dis 2021; 12:525. [PMID: 34023861 PMCID: PMC8141055 DOI: 10.1038/s41419-021-03795-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/19/2020] [Revised: 04/22/2021] [Accepted: 04/26/2021] [Indexed: 02/04/2023]
Abstract
While pregnancy is known to reduce a woman's life-long risk of breast cancer, clinical data suggest that it can specifically promote HER2 (human EGF receptor 2)-positive breast cancer subtype (HER2+ BC). HER2+ BC, characterized by amplification of HER2, comprises about 20% of all sporadic breast cancers and is more aggressive than hormone receptor-positive breast cancer (the majority of cases). Consistently with human data, pregnancy strongly promotes HER2+ BC in genetic mouse models. One proposed mechanism of this is post-pregnancy accumulation of PIMECs (pregnancy-identified mammary epithelial cells), tumor-initiating cells for HER2+ BC in mice. We previously showed that p63, a homologue of the tumor suppressor p53, is required to maintain the post-pregnancy number of PIMECs and thereby promotes HER2+ BC. Here we set to test whether p63 also affects the intrinsic tumorigenic properties of PIMECs. To this end, we FACS-sorted YFP-labeled PIMECs from p63+/-;ErbB2 and control p63+/+;ErbB2 females and injected their equal amounts into immunodeficient recipients. To our surprise, p63+/- PIMECs showed increased, rather than decreased, tumorigenic capacity in vivo, i.e., significantly accelerated tumor onset and tumor growth, as well as increased self-renewal in mammosphere assays and proliferation in vitro and in vivo. The underlying mechanism of these phenotypes seems to be a specific reduction of the tumor suppressor TAp63 isoform in p63+/- luminal cells, including PIMECs, with concomitant aberrant upregulation of the oncogenic ΔNp63 isoform, as determined by qRT-PCR and scRNA-seq analyses. In addition, scRNA-seq revealed upregulation of several cancer-associated (Il-4/Il-13, Hsf1/HSP), oncogenic (TGFβ, NGF, FGF, MAPK) and self-renewal (Wnt, Notch) pathways in p63+/-;ErbB2 luminal cells and PIMECs per se. Altogether, these data reveal a complex role of p63 in PIMECs and pregnancy-associated HER2+ BC: maintaining the amount of PIMECs while suppressing their intrinsic tumorigenic capacity.
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13
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Allouch S, Gupta I, Malik S, Al Farsi HF, Vranic S, Al Moustafa AE. Breast Cancer During Pregnancy: A Marked Propensity to Triple-Negative Phenotype. Front Oncol 2021; 10:580345. [PMID: 33425733 PMCID: PMC7786283 DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2020.580345] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/05/2020] [Accepted: 11/20/2020] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Breast and cervical cancers comprise 50% of all cancers during pregnancy. In particular, gestational breast cancer is considered one of the most aggressive types of cancers, which is a rare but fatal disease. However, the incidence of this type of cancer is increasing over the years and its prevalence is expected to rise further as more women delay childbearing. Breast cancer occurring after pregnancy is generally triple negative with specific characterizations of a poorer prognosis and outcome. On the other hand, it has been pointed out that this cancer is associated with a specific group of genes which can be used as precise targets to manage this deadly disease. Indeed, combination therapies consisting of gene-based agents with other cancer therapeutics is presently under consideration. We herein review recent progress in understanding the development of breast cancer during pregnancy and their unique subtype of triple negative which is the hallmark of this type of breast cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Soumaya Allouch
- College of Medicine, QU Health, Qatar University, Doha, Qatar
| | - Ishita Gupta
- College of Medicine, QU Health, Qatar University, Doha, Qatar.,Biomedical Research Center, Qatar University, Doha, Qatar
| | - Shaza Malik
- College of Medicine, QU Health, Qatar University, Doha, Qatar
| | | | - Semir Vranic
- College of Medicine, QU Health, Qatar University, Doha, Qatar
| | - Ala-Eddin Al Moustafa
- College of Medicine, QU Health, Qatar University, Doha, Qatar.,Biomedical Research Center, Qatar University, Doha, Qatar
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14
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Lokhande L, Kuci Emruli V, Kolstad A, Hutchings M, Räty R, Jerkeman M, Ek S. Immune-related protein signature in serum stratify relapsed mantle cell lymphoma patients based on risk. BMC Cancer 2020; 20:1202. [PMID: 33287742 PMCID: PMC7720632 DOI: 10.1186/s12885-020-07678-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/17/2020] [Accepted: 11/22/2020] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Response to modern treatment strategies, which combine cytotoxic compounds with immune stimulatory agents and targeted treatment is highly variable among MCL patients. Thus, providing prognostic and predictive markers for risk adapted therapy is warranted and molecular information that can help in patient stratification is a necessity. In relapsed MCL, biopsies are rarely available and molecular information from tumor tissue is often lacking. Today, the main tool to access risk is the MCL international prognostic index (MIPI), which does not include detailed biological information of relevance for different treatment options. To enable continuous monitoring of patients, non-invasive companion diagnostic tools are needed which can further reduce cost and patient distress and enable efficient measurements of biological markers. Methods We have assessed if serum-based protein profiling can identify immune related proteins that stratify relapsed MCL patients based on risk. Overall, 371 scFv targeting 158 proteins were assessed using an antibody microarray platform. We profiled patients (n = 44) who had been treated within the MCL6-Philemon trial combining targeted and immune-modulatory treatment. Results The downstream processing led to the identification of the relapsed immune signature (RIS) consisting of 11 proteins with potential to stratify patients with long and short overall survival (OS). Moreover, in this population, MIPI alone failed to separate high, intermediate and low risk patients, but a combined index based on MIPI together with RIS, MIPIris, showed improved performance and significantly stratified all three risk groups based on OS. Conclusions Our results show that addition of biological parameters to previous prognostic indices improves patient stratification among patients treated with BTK inhibitor triplet combination, particularly, in the identification of an extreme high risk group. Supplementary Information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12885-020-07678-4.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | - Riikka Räty
- Department of Hematology, Helsinki University Central Hospital, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Mats Jerkeman
- Department of Oncology, Lund University, Lund, Sweden
| | - Sara Ek
- Department of Immunotechnology, Lund University, Lund, Sweden.
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15
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Stewart TA, Davis FM. Got Milk? Identifying and Characterizing Lactation Defects in Genetically-Engineered Mouse Models. J Mammary Gland Biol Neoplasia 2020; 25:255-272. [PMID: 33211270 DOI: 10.1007/s10911-020-09467-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/21/2020] [Accepted: 10/27/2020] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
The ability to produce and expel milk is important for the health and survival of all mammals. Nevertheless, our understanding of the molecular events underlying the execution of this process remains incomplete. Whilst impaired mammary gland development and lactational competence remains the subject of focused investigations, defects in these events may also be an unintended consequence of genetic manipulation in rodent models. In this technical report, we outline established and emerging methods to characterize lactation phenotypes in genetically-engineered mouse models. We discuss important considerations of common models, optimized conditions for mating and the importance of litter size and standardization. Methods for quantifying milk production and quality, as well as protocols for wholemount preparation, immunohistochemistry and the preparation of RNA and protein lysates are provided. This review is intended to help guide researchers new to the field of mammary gland biology in the systematic analysis of lactation defects and in the preparation of samples for more focused mechanistic investigations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Teneale A Stewart
- Mater Research Institute-The University of Queensland, Faculty of Medicine, Woolloongabba, Queensland, 4102, Australia
- Translational Research Institute, Woolloongabba, Queensland, 4102, Australia
| | - Felicity M Davis
- Mater Research Institute-The University of Queensland, Faculty of Medicine, Woolloongabba, Queensland, 4102, Australia.
- Translational Research Institute, Woolloongabba, Queensland, 4102, Australia.
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16
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Regan JL, Smalley MJ. Integrating single-cell RNA-sequencing and functional assays to decipher mammary cell states and lineage hierarchies. NPJ Breast Cancer 2020; 6:32. [PMID: 32793804 PMCID: PMC7391676 DOI: 10.1038/s41523-020-00175-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/10/2019] [Accepted: 07/02/2020] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
The identification and molecular characterization of cellular hierarchies in complex tissues is key to understanding both normal cellular homeostasis and tumorigenesis. The mammary epithelium is a heterogeneous tissue consisting of two main cellular compartments, an outer basal layer containing myoepithelial cells and an inner luminal layer consisting of estrogen receptor-negative (ER−) ductal cells and secretory alveolar cells (in the fully functional differentiated tissue) and hormone-responsive estrogen receptor-positive (ER+) cells. Recent publications have used single-cell RNA-sequencing (scRNA-seq) analysis to decipher epithelial cell differentiation hierarchies in human and murine mammary glands, and reported the identification of new cell types and states based on the expression of the luminal progenitor cell marker KIT (c-Kit). These studies allow for comprehensive and unbiased analysis of the different cell types that constitute a heterogeneous tissue. Here we discuss scRNA-seq studies in the context of previous research in which mammary epithelial cell populations were molecularly and functionally characterized, and identified c-Kit+ progenitors and cell states analogous to those reported in the recent scRNA-seq studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joseph L Regan
- Charité Comprehensive Cancer Centre, Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Charitéplatz 1, 10117 Berlin, Germany
| | - Matthew J Smalley
- European Cancer Stem Cell Research Institute, School of Biosciences, Cardiff University, Hadyn Ellis Building, Wales, CF24 4HQ UK
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17
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Phoon YP, Chivukula IV, Tsoi YL, Kanatani S, Uhlén P, Kuiper R, Lendahl U. Notch activation in the mouse mammary luminal lineage leads to ductal hyperplasia and altered partitioning of luminal cell subtypes. Exp Cell Res 2020; 395:112156. [PMID: 32707133 DOI: 10.1016/j.yexcr.2020.112156] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/20/2020] [Revised: 06/17/2020] [Accepted: 06/23/2020] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
Hyperactivated Notch signalling has been implicated in breast cancer, but how elevated levels of Notch signalling contribute to mammary dysplasia and tumorigenesis is not fully understood. In this study, we express an activated form of Notch1 in the mouse mammary luminal lineage and analyse the consequences for tumour formation and the transcriptomic landscape in the luminal lineage. Simultaneous conditional activation of a Notch1 intracellular domain (Notch1 ICD) and EGFP in the luminal lineage was achieved by removal of a stop cassette by CRE-recombinase expression from the whey acidic protein (WAP) promoter. Mice in which Notch1 ICD was activated in the luminal lineage (WAP-CRE;R26-N1ICD mice) exhibit ductal hyperplasia after lactation with an increase in branching frequency and in the number of side-branch ends in the ductal tree. A subset of the mice developed mammary tumours and the majority of the tumour cells expressed EGFP (as a proxy for Notch1 ICD), indicating that the tumours originate from the Notch1 ICD-expressing cells. Single-cell transcriptome analysis of the EGFP-positive mammary cells identified six subtypes of luminal cells. The same six subtypes were found in control mice (WAP-CRE;R26-tdTomato mice expressing the tdTomato reporter from WAP-CRE-mediated activation), but the proportion of cells in the various subtypes differed between the WAP-CRE;R26-N1ICD and control WAP-CRE;R26-tdTomato mice. In conclusion, we show that Notch1 ICD expression in the luminal lineage produces a ductal hyperplasia and branching phenotype accompanied by altered luminal cell subtype partitioning.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yee Peng Phoon
- Department of Cell and Molecular Biology, Karolinska Institutet, SE-171 77, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Indira V Chivukula
- Department of Cell and Molecular Biology, Karolinska Institutet, SE-171 77, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Yat Long Tsoi
- Department of Cell and Molecular Biology, Karolinska Institutet, SE-171 77, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Shigeaki Kanatani
- Department of Medical Biochemistry and Biophysics, Karolinska Institutet, SE-171 77, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Per Uhlén
- Department of Medical Biochemistry and Biophysics, Karolinska Institutet, SE-171 77, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Raoul Kuiper
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Karolinska Institutet, SE-141 52, Huddinge, Sweden
| | - Urban Lendahl
- Department of Cell and Molecular Biology, Karolinska Institutet, SE-171 77, Stockholm, Sweden.
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18
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Feigman MJ, Moss MA, Chen C, Cyrill SL, Ciccone MF, Trousdell MC, Yang ST, Frey WD, Wilkinson JE, Dos Santos CO. Pregnancy reprograms the epigenome of mammary epithelial cells and blocks the development of premalignant lesions. Nat Commun 2020; 11:2649. [PMID: 32461571 PMCID: PMC7253414 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-020-16479-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/03/2018] [Accepted: 05/05/2020] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Pregnancy causes a series of cellular and molecular changes in mammary epithelial cells (MECs) of female adults. In addition, pregnancy can also modify the predisposition of rodent and human MECs to initiate oncogenesis. Here, we investigate how pregnancy reprograms enhancer chromatin in the mammary epithelium of mice and influences the transcriptional output of the oncogenic transcription factor cMYC. We find that pregnancy induces an expansion of the active cis-regulatory landscape of MECs, which influences the activation of pregnancy-related programs during re-exposure to pregnancy hormones in vivo and in vitro. Using inducible cMYC overexpression, we demonstrate that post-pregnancy MECs are resistant to the downstream molecular programs induced by cMYC, a response that blunts carcinoma initiation, but does not perturb the normal pregnancy-induced epigenomic landscape. cMYC overexpression drives post-pregnancy MECs into a senescence-like state, and perturbations of this state increase malignant phenotypic changes. Taken together, our findings provide further insight into the cell-autonomous signals in post-pregnancy MECs that underpin the regulation of gene expression, cellular activation, and resistance to malignant development. Mammary epithelial cells are epigenetically modified during pregnancy, these changes can influence the pre-disposition to cancer. Here, the authors examine the epigenetic landscape of mammary epithelial cells pre and post pregnancy and identify changes to the epigenetic landscape, which can protect mice from Myc induced cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mary J Feigman
- Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, Cold Spring Harbor, New York, NY, 11724, USA
| | - Matthew A Moss
- Donald and Barbara Zucker School of Medicine at Hofstra/Northwell, Hempstead, NY, 11549, USA
| | - Chen Chen
- Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, Cold Spring Harbor, New York, NY, 11724, USA
| | - Samantha L Cyrill
- Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, Cold Spring Harbor, New York, NY, 11724, USA
| | - Michael F Ciccone
- Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, Cold Spring Harbor, New York, NY, 11724, USA
| | | | - Shih-Ting Yang
- Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, Cold Spring Harbor, New York, NY, 11724, USA
| | - Wesley D Frey
- School of Medicine, Tulane University, New Orleans, LA, 70118, USA
| | - John E Wilkinson
- Department of Comparative Medicine, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, 98195, USA
| | - Camila O Dos Santos
- Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, Cold Spring Harbor, New York, NY, 11724, USA.
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19
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Fu NY, Nolan E, Lindeman GJ, Visvader JE. Stem Cells and the Differentiation Hierarchy in Mammary Gland Development. Physiol Rev 2019; 100:489-523. [PMID: 31539305 DOI: 10.1152/physrev.00040.2018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 131] [Impact Index Per Article: 26.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
The mammary gland is a highly dynamic organ that undergoes profound changes within its epithelium during puberty and the reproductive cycle. These changes are fueled by dedicated stem and progenitor cells. Both short- and long-lived lineage-restricted progenitors have been identified in adult tissue as well as a small pool of multipotent mammary stem cells (MaSCs), reflecting intrinsic complexity within the epithelial hierarchy. While unipotent progenitor cells predominantly execute day-to-day homeostasis and postnatal morphogenesis during puberty and pregnancy, multipotent MaSCs have been implicated in coordinating alveologenesis and long-term ductal maintenance. Nonetheless, the multipotency of stem cells in the adult remains controversial. The advent of large-scale single-cell molecular profiling has revealed striking changes in the gene expression landscape through ontogeny and the presence of transient intermediate populations. An increasing number of lineage cell-fate determination factors and potential niche regulators have now been mapped along the hierarchy, with many implicated in breast carcinogenesis. The emerging diversity among stem and progenitor populations of the mammary epithelium is likely to underpin the heterogeneity that characterizes breast cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nai Yang Fu
- Cancer and Stem Cell Biology Program, Duke-NUS Medical School, Singapore, Singapore; Tumour-Host Interaction Laboratory, Francis Crick Institute, London, United Kingdom; Cancer Biology and Stem Cells Division, The Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research, Parkville, Victoria, Australia; Department of Medicine, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria, Australia; Royal Melbourne Hospital and Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia; and Department of Medical Biology, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria, Australia
| | - Emma Nolan
- Cancer and Stem Cell Biology Program, Duke-NUS Medical School, Singapore, Singapore; Tumour-Host Interaction Laboratory, Francis Crick Institute, London, United Kingdom; Cancer Biology and Stem Cells Division, The Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research, Parkville, Victoria, Australia; Department of Medicine, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria, Australia; Royal Melbourne Hospital and Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia; and Department of Medical Biology, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria, Australia
| | - Geoffrey J Lindeman
- Cancer and Stem Cell Biology Program, Duke-NUS Medical School, Singapore, Singapore; Tumour-Host Interaction Laboratory, Francis Crick Institute, London, United Kingdom; Cancer Biology and Stem Cells Division, The Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research, Parkville, Victoria, Australia; Department of Medicine, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria, Australia; Royal Melbourne Hospital and Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia; and Department of Medical Biology, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria, Australia
| | - Jane E Visvader
- Cancer and Stem Cell Biology Program, Duke-NUS Medical School, Singapore, Singapore; Tumour-Host Interaction Laboratory, Francis Crick Institute, London, United Kingdom; Cancer Biology and Stem Cells Division, The Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research, Parkville, Victoria, Australia; Department of Medicine, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria, Australia; Royal Melbourne Hospital and Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia; and Department of Medical Biology, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria, Australia
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20
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Wang QA, Scherer PE. Remodeling of Murine Mammary Adipose Tissue during Pregnancy, Lactation, and Involution. J Mammary Gland Biol Neoplasia 2019; 24:207-212. [PMID: 31512027 PMCID: PMC6790178 DOI: 10.1007/s10911-019-09434-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [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: 05/16/2019] [Accepted: 08/14/2019] [Indexed: 01/06/2023] Open
Abstract
White adipocytes in the mammary gland stroma comprise the majority of the mammary gland mass. White adipocytes regulate numerous hormonal and metabolic processes and exhibit compositional and phenotypic plasticity. This plasticity is exemplified by the ability of mammary adipocytes to regress during lactation, when mammary epithelial cells expand to establish sufficient milk-producing alveoli. Upon weaning, the process reverses through mammary involution, during which adipocytes extensively regenerate, and alveolar epithelial cells disappear through cell death, returning the mammary gland to the non-lactating state. Despite intensive studies on the development and involution of the mammary alveolar epithelium, the fate of mammary adipocytes during pregnancy and lactation, and the origins of mammary adipocytes regenerated during mammary involution, is poorly understood. Here, we discuss the recent discoveries of the fate of mammary adipocytes during pregnancy and lactation in a number of different mouse models, and the lineage origin of mammary adipocytes regenerated during involution.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qiong A Wang
- Department of Molecular & Cellular Endocrinology, Diabetes and Metabolism Research Institute, City of Hope, Duarte, CA, USA.
- Comprehensive Cancer Center, Beckman Research Institute, City of Hope, Duarte, CA, 91010, USA.
| | - Philipp E Scherer
- Touchstone Diabetes Center, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, 75390, USA.
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21
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Slepicka PF, Cyrill SL, Dos Santos CO. Pregnancy and Breast Cancer: Pathways to Understand Risk and Prevention. Trends Mol Med 2019; 25:866-881. [PMID: 31383623 DOI: 10.1016/j.molmed.2019.06.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 45] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/11/2019] [Revised: 06/10/2019] [Accepted: 06/17/2019] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
Several studies have made strong efforts to understand how age and parity modulate the risk of breast cancer. A holistic understanding of the dynamic regulation of the morphological, cellular, and molecular milieu of the mammary gland offers insights into the drivers of breast cancer development as well as into potential prophylactic interventions, the latter being a longstanding ambition of the research and clinical community aspiring to eradicate the disease. In this review we discuss mechanisms that react to pregnancy signals, and we delineate the nuances of pregnancy-associated dynamism that contribute towards either breast cancer development or prevention. Further definition of the molecular basis of parity and breast cancer risk may allow the elaboration of tools to predict and survey those who are at risk of breast cancer development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Priscila F Slepicka
- Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, 1 Bungtown Road, Cold Spring Harbor, NY 11724, USA
| | - Samantha L Cyrill
- Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, 1 Bungtown Road, Cold Spring Harbor, NY 11724, USA
| | - Camila O Dos Santos
- Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, 1 Bungtown Road, Cold Spring Harbor, NY 11724, USA.
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22
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Hormones induce the formation of luminal-derived basal cells in the mammary gland. Cell Res 2019; 29:206-220. [PMID: 30631153 DOI: 10.1038/s41422-018-0137-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/24/2018] [Accepted: 12/13/2018] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
In the mammary gland, it is widely believed that the luminal cells are unipotent after birth, contributing only to the luminal compartment in normal development. Here, by lineage tracing, we uncovered an unexpected potential of luminal cells that can give rise to basal cells during pregnancy. These luminal-derived basal cells (LdBCs) persisted through mammary regression and generated more progeny in successive rounds of pregnancies. LdBCs express basal markers as well as estrogen receptor α (ERα). In ovariectomized (OVX) mice, stimulation with estrogen and progesterone promoted the formation of LdBCs. In serial transplantation assays, LdBCs were able to reconstitute new mammary glands in a hormone-dependent manner. Transcriptome analysis and genetic experiments suggest that Wnt/β-catenin signaling is essential for the formation and maintenance of LdBCs. Our data uncover an unexpected bi-potency of luminal cells in a physiological context. The discovery of ERα+ basal cells, which can respond to hormones and are endowed with stem cell-like regenerative capacity in parous mammary gland, provides new insights into the association of hormones and breast cancer.
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23
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Stem Cells and Cellular Origins of Mammary Gland: Updates in Rationale, Controversies, and Cancer Relevance. Stem Cells Int 2019; 2019:4247168. [PMID: 30728840 PMCID: PMC6341275 DOI: 10.1155/2019/4247168] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/22/2018] [Revised: 11/22/2018] [Accepted: 12/04/2018] [Indexed: 01/31/2023] Open
Abstract
Evidences have supported the pivotal roles of stem cells in mammary gland development. Many molecular markers have been identified to characterize mammary stem cells. Cellular fate mapping of mammary stem cells by lineage tracing has put unprecedented insights into the mammary stem cell biology, which identified two subtypes of mammary stem cells, including unipotent and multipotent, which specifically differentiate to luminal or basal cells. The emerging single-cell sequencing profiles have given a more comprehensive understanding on the cellular hierarchy and lineage signatures of mammary epithelium. Besides, the stem cell niche worked as an essential regulator in sustaining the functions of mammary stem cells. In this review, we provide an overview of the characteristics of mammary stem cells. The cellular origins of mammary gland are discussed to understand the stem cell heterogeneity and their diverse differentiations. Importantly, current studies suggested that the breast cancer stem cells may originate from the mammary stem cells after specific mutations, indicating their close relationships. Here, we also outline the recent advances and controversies in the cancer relevance of mammary stem cells.
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24
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French R, Tornillo G. Heterogeneity of Mammary Stem Cells. ADVANCES IN EXPERIMENTAL MEDICINE AND BIOLOGY 2019; 1169:119-140. [PMID: 31487022 DOI: 10.1007/978-3-030-24108-7_7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Adult female mammals are endowed with the unique ability to produce milk for nourishing their newborn offspring. Milk is secreted on demand by the mammary gland, an organ which develops during puberty, further matures during pregnancy and lactation, but reverts to a resting state after weaning. The glandular tissue (re)generated through this series of structural and functional changes is finely sourced by resident stem cells under the control of systemic hormones and local stimuli.Over the past decades a plethora of studies have been carried out in order to identify and characterize mammary stem cells, primarily in mice and humans. Intriguingly, it is now emerging that multiple mammary stem cell pools (co)exist and are characterized by distinctive molecular markers and context-dependent functions.This chapter reviews the heterogeneity of the mammary stem cell compartment with emphasis on the key properties and molecular regulators of distinct stem cell populations in both the mouse and human glands.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rhiannon French
- European Cancer Stem Cell Research Institute, School of Biosciences, Cardiff University, Cardiff, UK
| | - Giusy Tornillo
- European Cancer Stem Cell Research Institute, School of Biosciences, Cardiff University, Cardiff, UK.
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25
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Patel Y, Soni M, Awgulewitsch A, Kern MJ, Liu S, Shah N, Singh UP, Chen H. Overexpression of miR-489 derails mammary hierarchy structure and inhibits HER2/neu-induced tumorigenesis. Oncogene 2019; 38:445-453. [PMID: 30104710 PMCID: PMC6338493 DOI: 10.1038/s41388-018-0439-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/19/2017] [Revised: 05/30/2018] [Accepted: 06/29/2018] [Indexed: 01/23/2023]
Abstract
Although it has been demonstrated that transformed progenitor cell population can contribute to tumor initiation, factors contributing to this malignant transformation are poorly known. Using in vitro and xenograft-based models, previous studies demonstrated that miR-489 acts as a tumor suppressor miRNA by targeting various oncogenic pathways. It has been demonstrated that miR-489 directly targets HER2 and inhibits the HER2 signaling pathway; however, its role in mammary gland development and HER2-induced tumor initiation hasn't been studied. To dissect the role of miR-489, we sorted different populations of mammary epithelial cells and determined that miR-489 was highly expressed in mammary stem cells. MMTV-miR-489 mice that overexpressed miR-489 in mammary epithelial cells were developed and these mice exhibited an inhibition of mammary gland development in early ages with a specific impact on highly proliferative cells. Double transgenic MMTV-Her2-miR489 mice were then generated to observe how miR-489 overexpression affects HER2-induced tumorigenesis. miR-489 overexpression delayed HER2-induced tumor initiation significantly. Moreover, miR-489 overexpression inhibited tumor growth and lung metastasis. miR-489 overexpression reduced mammary progenitor cell population significantly in preneoplastic mammary glands of MMTV-Her2 mice which showed a putative transformed population in HER2-induced tumorigenesis. The miR-489 overexpression reduced CD49fhiCD61hi populations in tumors that have stem-like properties, and miR-489 overexpression altered the HER2 signaling pathway in mammary tumors. Altogether, these data indicate that the inhibition of HER2-induced tumorigenesis by miR-489 overexpression was due to altering progenitor cell populations while decreasing tumor growth and metastasis via influencing tumor promoting genes DEK and SHP2.
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MESH Headings
- Animals
- Antigens, CD/analysis
- Cell Differentiation
- Cell Transformation, Neoplastic/genetics
- DNA-Binding Proteins/genetics
- DNA-Binding Proteins/metabolism
- Epithelial Cells/metabolism
- Female
- Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic
- Lung Neoplasms/secondary
- Mammary Glands, Animal/cytology
- Mammary Glands, Animal/growth & development
- Mammary Glands, Animal/metabolism
- Mammary Neoplasms, Experimental/genetics
- Mammary Neoplasms, Experimental/metabolism
- Mammary Neoplasms, Experimental/pathology
- Mammary Tumor Virus, Mouse/genetics
- Mice
- Mice, Transgenic
- MicroRNAs/biosynthesis
- MicroRNAs/genetics
- MicroRNAs/physiology
- Neoplastic Stem Cells/cytology
- Neoplastic Stem Cells/metabolism
- Oncogene Proteins/genetics
- Oncogene Proteins/metabolism
- Poly-ADP-Ribose Binding Proteins/genetics
- Poly-ADP-Ribose Binding Proteins/metabolism
- Pregnancy
- Protein Tyrosine Phosphatase, Non-Receptor Type 11/genetics
- Protein Tyrosine Phosphatase, Non-Receptor Type 11/metabolism
- RNA, Neoplasm/biosynthesis
- RNA, Neoplasm/genetics
- RNA, Neoplasm/physiology
- Receptor, ErbB-2/genetics
- Receptor, ErbB-2/physiology
- Recombinant Fusion Proteins/biosynthesis
- Recombinant Fusion Proteins/metabolism
- Stem Cells/metabolism
- Tumor Stem Cell Assay
- Up-Regulation
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Affiliation(s)
- Y Patel
- Department of Biological Science, University of South Carolina, Columbia, SC, 29208, USA
- Center for Colon Cancer Research, University of South Carolina, Columbia, SC, 29208, USA
| | - M Soni
- Department of Biological Science, University of South Carolina, Columbia, SC, 29208, USA
- Center for Colon Cancer Research, University of South Carolina, Columbia, SC, 29208, USA
| | - A Awgulewitsch
- Department of Medicine and Department of Regenerative Medicine and Cell Biology, Transgenic and Genome Editing Core, Medical University of South Carolina (MUSC), Charleston, SC, 29425, USA
| | - M J Kern
- Department of Regenerative Medicine and Cell Biology, Director, Gene Function Core, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC, 29425, USA
| | - S Liu
- Department of Biological Science, University of South Carolina, Columbia, SC, 29208, USA
- Center for Colon Cancer Research, University of South Carolina, Columbia, SC, 29208, USA
| | - N Shah
- Department of Biological Science, University of South Carolina, Columbia, SC, 29208, USA
- Center for Colon Cancer Research, University of South Carolina, Columbia, SC, 29208, USA
| | - U P Singh
- Department of Pathology, Microbiology and Immunology, School of Medicine, University of South Carolina, Columbia, SC, 29208, USA
| | - H Chen
- Department of Biological Science, University of South Carolina, Columbia, SC, 29208, USA.
- Center for Colon Cancer Research, University of South Carolina, Columbia, SC, 29208, USA.
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26
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Rodilla V, Fre S. Cellular Plasticity of Mammary Epithelial Cells Underlies Heterogeneity of Breast Cancer. Biomedicines 2018; 6:biomedicines6040103. [PMID: 30388868 PMCID: PMC6315661 DOI: 10.3390/biomedicines6040103] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/01/2018] [Revised: 10/25/2018] [Accepted: 10/30/2018] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
The hierarchical relationships between stem cells, lineage-committed progenitors, and differentiated cells remain unclear in several tissues, due to a high degree of cell plasticity, allowing cells to switch between different cell states. The mouse mammary gland, similarly to other tissues such as the prostate, the sweat gland, and the respiratory tract airways, consists of an epithelium exclusively maintained by unipotent progenitors throughout adulthood. Such unipotent progenitors, however, retain a remarkable cellular plasticity, as they can revert to multipotency during epithelial regeneration as well as upon oncogene activation. Here, we revise the current knowledge on mammary cell hierarchies in light of the most recent lineage tracing studies performed in the mammary gland and highlight how stem cell differentiation or reversion to multipotency are at the base of tumor development and progression. In addition, we will discuss the current knowledge about the interplay between tumor cells of origin and defined genetic mutations, leading to different tumor types, and its implications in choosing specific therapeutic protocols for breast cancer patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Verónica Rodilla
- Preclinical Research Program, Vall d'Hebron Institute of Oncology, 08035 Barcelona, Spain.
| | - Silvia Fre
- Institut Curie, PSL Research University, INSERM U934, CNRS UMR3215, F-75248 Paris CEDEX 05, France.
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27
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Lloyd-Lewis B, Davis FM, Harris OB, Hitchcock JR, Watson CJ. Neutral lineage tracing of proliferative embryonic and adult mammary stem/progenitor cells. Development 2018; 145:145/14/dev164079. [PMID: 30045917 PMCID: PMC6078330 DOI: 10.1242/dev.164079] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/03/2018] [Accepted: 06/19/2018] [Indexed: 01/08/2023]
Abstract
Mammary gland development occurs over multiple phases, beginning in the mammalian embryo and continuing throughout reproductive life. The remarkable morphogenetic capacity of the mammary gland at each stage of development is attributed to the activities of distinct populations of mammary stem cells (MaSCs) and progenitor cells. However, the relationship between embryonic and adult MaSCs, and their fate during different waves of mammary gland morphogenesis, remains unclear. By employing a neutral, low-density genetic labelling strategy, we characterised the contribution of proliferative stem/progenitor cells to embryonic, pubertal and reproductive mammary gland development. Our findings further support a model of lineage restriction of MaSCs in the postnatal mammary gland, and highlight extensive redundancy and heterogeneity within the adult stem/progenitor cell pool. Furthermore, our data suggest extensive multiplicity in their foetal precursors that give rise to the primordial mammary epithelium before birth. In addition, using a single-cell labelling approach, we revealed the extraordinary capacity of a single embryonic MaSC to contribute to postnatal ductal development. Together, these findings provide tantalising new insights into the disparate and stage-specific contribution of distinct stem/progenitor cells to mammary gland development. Summary: Neutral, low-density lineage tracing of proliferative mammary stem and progenitor cells during embryonic, pubertal and reproductive mammary gland development reveal the disparate and stage-specific contribution of distinct stem/progenitor cells.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Felicity M Davis
- Department of Pathology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB2 1QP, UK
| | - Olivia B Harris
- Department of Pathology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB2 1QP, UK.,Wellcome Trust-Medical Research Council Cambridge Stem Cell Institute, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB2 1QR, UK
| | | | - Christine J Watson
- Department of Pathology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB2 1QP, UK .,Wellcome Trust-Medical Research Council Cambridge Stem Cell Institute, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB2 1QR, UK
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28
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Sizemore GM, Balakrishnan S, Thies KA, Hammer AM, Sizemore ST, Trimboli AJ, Cuitiño MC, Steck SA, Tozbikian G, Kladney RD, Shinde N, Das M, Park D, Majumder S, Krishnan S, Yu L, Fernandez SA, Chakravarti A, Shields PG, White JR, Yee LD, Rosol TJ, Ludwig T, Park M, Leone G, Ostrowski MC. Stromal PTEN determines mammary epithelial response to radiotherapy. Nat Commun 2018; 9:2783. [PMID: 30018330 PMCID: PMC6050339 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-018-05266-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/28/2017] [Accepted: 06/21/2018] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
The importance of the tumor-associated stroma in cancer progression is clear. However, it remains uncertain whether early events in the stroma are capable of initiating breast tumorigenesis. Here, we show that in the mammary glands of non-tumor bearing mice, stromal-specific phosphatase and tensin homolog (Pten) deletion invokes radiation-induced genomic instability in neighboring epithelium. In these animals, a single dose of whole-body radiation causes focal mammary lobuloalveolar hyperplasia through paracrine epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) activation, and EGFR inhibition abrogates these cellular changes. By analyzing human tissue, we discover that stromal PTEN is lost in a subset of normal breast samples obtained from reduction mammoplasty, and is predictive of recurrence in breast cancer patients. Combined, these data indicate that diagnostic or therapeutic chest radiation may predispose patients with decreased stromal PTEN expression to secondary breast cancer, and that prophylactic EGFR inhibition may reduce this risk.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gina M Sizemore
- The Comprehensive Cancer Center, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, 43210, USA.,Department of Radiation Oncology, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, 43210, USA
| | - Subhasree Balakrishnan
- The Comprehensive Cancer Center, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, 43210, USA.,Department of Cancer Biology and Genetics, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, 43210, USA
| | - Katie A Thies
- Hollings Cancer Center, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC, 29425, USA.,Department of Biochemistry & Molecular Biology, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC, 29425, USA
| | - Anisha M Hammer
- The Comprehensive Cancer Center, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, 43210, USA.,Division of Endocrinology, Diabetes and Metabolism, Department of Internal Medicine, The Ohio State University, Columbus, 43210, OH, USA
| | - Steven T Sizemore
- The Comprehensive Cancer Center, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, 43210, USA.,Department of Radiation Oncology, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, 43210, USA
| | - Anthony J Trimboli
- Hollings Cancer Center, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC, 29425, USA.,Department of Biochemistry & Molecular Biology, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC, 29425, USA
| | - Maria C Cuitiño
- Hollings Cancer Center, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC, 29425, USA.,Department of Biochemistry & Molecular Biology, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC, 29425, USA
| | - Sarah A Steck
- The Comprehensive Cancer Center, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, 43210, USA
| | - Gary Tozbikian
- Department of Pathology, The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center, Columbus, 43210, OH, USA
| | - Raleigh D Kladney
- The Comprehensive Cancer Center, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, 43210, USA
| | - Neelam Shinde
- The Comprehensive Cancer Center, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, 43210, USA
| | - Manjusri Das
- The Comprehensive Cancer Center, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, 43210, USA
| | - Dongju Park
- The Comprehensive Cancer Center, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, 43210, USA.,Department of Cancer Biology and Genetics, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, 43210, USA
| | - Sarmila Majumder
- The Comprehensive Cancer Center, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, 43210, USA
| | - Shiva Krishnan
- The Comprehensive Cancer Center, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, 43210, USA.,Department of Internal Medicine, College of Medicine, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, 43210, USA
| | - Lianbo Yu
- Department of Biomedical Informatics' Center for Biostatistics, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, 43210, USA
| | - Soledad A Fernandez
- Department of Biomedical Informatics' Center for Biostatistics, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, 43210, USA
| | - Arnab Chakravarti
- The Comprehensive Cancer Center, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, 43210, USA.,Department of Radiation Oncology, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, 43210, USA
| | - Peter G Shields
- The Comprehensive Cancer Center, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, 43210, USA.,Department of Internal Medicine, College of Medicine, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, 43210, USA
| | - Julia R White
- The Comprehensive Cancer Center, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, 43210, USA.,Department of Radiation Oncology, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, 43210, USA
| | - Lisa D Yee
- Division of Surgical Oncology, Department of Surgery, City of Hope, Duarte, CA, 91010, USA
| | - Thomas J Rosol
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, College of Arts and Sciences, Ohio University, Athens, OH, 45701, USA
| | - Thomas Ludwig
- The Comprehensive Cancer Center, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, 43210, USA.,Department of Cancer Biology and Genetics, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, 43210, USA
| | - Morag Park
- Rosalind and Morris Goodman Cancer Research Centre, McGill University, Montréal, H3A 1A3, QC, Canada
| | - Gustavo Leone
- Hollings Cancer Center, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC, 29425, USA. .,Department of Biochemistry & Molecular Biology, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC, 29425, USA.
| | - Michael C Ostrowski
- Hollings Cancer Center, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC, 29425, USA. .,Department of Biochemistry & Molecular Biology, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC, 29425, USA.
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29
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Van Keymeulen A, Fioramonti M, Centonze A, Bouvencourt G, Achouri Y, Blanpain C. Lineage-Restricted Mammary Stem Cells Sustain the Development, Homeostasis, and Regeneration of the Estrogen Receptor Positive Lineage. Cell Rep 2018; 20:1525-1532. [PMID: 28813665 PMCID: PMC5575359 DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2017.07.066] [Citation(s) in RCA: 70] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/26/2017] [Revised: 05/30/2017] [Accepted: 07/24/2017] [Indexed: 01/07/2023] Open
Abstract
The mammary gland (MG) is composed of different cell lineages, including the basal and the luminal cells (LCs) that are maintained by distinct stem cell (SC) populations. LCs can be subdivided into estrogen receptor (ER)+ and ER− cells. LCs act as the cancer cell of origin in different types of mammary tumors. It remains unclear whether the heterogeneity found in luminal-derived mammary tumors arises from a pre-existing heterogeneity within LCs. To investigate LC heterogeneity, we used lineage tracing to assess whether the ER+ lineage is maintained by multipotent SCs or by lineage-restricted SCs. To this end, we generated doxycycline-inducible ER-rtTA mice that allowed us to perform genetic lineage tracing of ER+ LCs and study their fate and long-term maintenance. Our results show that ER+ cells are maintained by lineage-restricted SCs that exclusively contribute to the expansion of the ER+ lineage during puberty and their maintenance during adult life. ER+ stem cells mediate expansion and maintenance of the ER+ lineage ER+ stem cells expand and differentiate into ER+ cells following transplantation ER+ stem cells survive involution and repopulate the ER+ lineage
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexandra Van Keymeulen
- Laboratory of Stem Cells and Cancer, Université Libre de Bruxelles (ULB), Brussels 1070, Belgium.
| | - Marco Fioramonti
- Laboratory of Stem Cells and Cancer, Université Libre de Bruxelles (ULB), Brussels 1070, Belgium
| | - Alessia Centonze
- Laboratory of Stem Cells and Cancer, Université Libre de Bruxelles (ULB), Brussels 1070, Belgium
| | - Gaëlle Bouvencourt
- Laboratory of Stem Cells and Cancer, Université Libre de Bruxelles (ULB), Brussels 1070, Belgium
| | - Younes Achouri
- de Duve Institute, Université Catholique de Louvain, Brussels 1200, Belgium
| | - Cédric Blanpain
- Laboratory of Stem Cells and Cancer, Université Libre de Bruxelles (ULB), Brussels 1070, Belgium; WELBIO, Université Libre de Bruxelles, Brussels 1070, Belgium.
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30
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Miller DH, Jin DX, Sokol ES, Cabrera JR, Superville DA, Gorelov RA, Kuperwasser C, Gupta PB. BCL11B Drives Human Mammary Stem Cell Self-Renewal In Vitro by Inhibiting Basal Differentiation. Stem Cell Reports 2018; 10:1131-1145. [PMID: 29503088 PMCID: PMC5918530 DOI: 10.1016/j.stemcr.2018.01.036] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/06/2017] [Revised: 01/30/2018] [Accepted: 01/30/2018] [Indexed: 12/26/2022] Open
Abstract
The epithelial compartment of the mammary gland contains basal and luminal cell lineages, as well as stem and progenitor cells that reside upstream in the differentiation hierarchy. Stem and progenitor cell differentiation is regulated to maintain adult tissue and mediate expansion during pregnancy and lactation. The genetic factors that regulate the transition of cells between differentiation states remain incompletely understood. Here, we present a genome-scale method to discover genes driving cell-state specification. Applying this method, we identify a transcription factor, BCL11B, which drives stem cell self-renewal in vitro, by inhibiting differentiation into the basal lineage. To validate BCL11B's functional role, we use two-dimensional colony-forming and three-dimensional tissue differentiation assays to assess the lineage differentiation potential and functional abilities of primary human mammary cells. These findings show that BCL11B regulates mammary cell differentiation and demonstrate the utility of our proposed genome-scale strategy for identifying lineage regulators in mammalian tissues. Novel strategy to identify lineage-specifying genes BCL11B drives primary human mammary stem cell self-renewal in vitro BCL11B inhibits basal differentiation of mammary stem cells in vitro
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniel H Miller
- Whitehead Institute for Biomedical Research, 455 Main St., Cambridge, MA 02142, USA; Department of Biology, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA
| | - Dexter X Jin
- Whitehead Institute for Biomedical Research, 455 Main St., Cambridge, MA 02142, USA; Department of Biology, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA
| | - Ethan S Sokol
- Whitehead Institute for Biomedical Research, 455 Main St., Cambridge, MA 02142, USA; Department of Biology, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA
| | - Janel R Cabrera
- Department of Developmental, Chemical, and Molecular Biology, Tufts University School of Medicine, 136 Harrison Avenue, Boston, MA 02111, USA; Raymond & Beverly Sackler Convergence Laboratory, Tufts University School of Medicine, 145 Harrison Avenue, Boston, MA 02111, USA
| | - Daphne A Superville
- Whitehead Institute for Biomedical Research, 455 Main St., Cambridge, MA 02142, USA; Department of Biology, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA
| | - Rebecca A Gorelov
- Whitehead Institute for Biomedical Research, 455 Main St., Cambridge, MA 02142, USA; Department of Biology, Williams College, Williamstown, MA 01267, USA
| | - Charlotte Kuperwasser
- Department of Developmental, Chemical, and Molecular Biology, Tufts University School of Medicine, 136 Harrison Avenue, Boston, MA 02111, USA; Raymond & Beverly Sackler Convergence Laboratory, Tufts University School of Medicine, 145 Harrison Avenue, Boston, MA 02111, USA
| | - Piyush B Gupta
- Whitehead Institute for Biomedical Research, 455 Main St., Cambridge, MA 02142, USA; Department of Biology, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA; Koch Institute for Integrative Cancer Research at MIT, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA; Harvard Stem Cell Institute, Cambridge, MA 02138, USA.
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31
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Seldin L, Le Guelte A, Macara IG. Epithelial plasticity in the mammary gland. Curr Opin Cell Biol 2017; 49:59-63. [PMID: 29232628 DOI: 10.1016/j.ceb.2017.11.012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/09/2017] [Accepted: 11/28/2017] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Many epithelial tissues rely on multipotent stem cells for the proper development and maintenance of their diverse cell lineages. Nevertheless, the identification of multipotent stem cell populations within the mammary gland has been a point of contention over the past decade. In this review, we provide a critical overview of the various lineage-tracing studies performed to address this issue and conclude that although multipotent stem cells exist in the embryonic mammary placode, the postnatal mammary gland instead contains distinct unipotent progenitor populations that contribute to stage-specific development and homeostasis. This begs the question of why differentiated mammary epithelial cells can exhibit stem cell behavior in culture. We speculate that such reprogramming potential is repressed in situ under normal conditions but revealed in vitro and might drive breast cancer development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lindsey Seldin
- Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, Nashville, TN 37424, USA
| | - Armelle Le Guelte
- Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, Nashville, TN 37424, USA
| | - Ian G Macara
- Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, Nashville, TN 37424, USA.
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32
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Long-lived unipotent Blimp1-positive luminal stem cells drive mammary gland organogenesis throughout adult life. Nat Commun 2017; 8:1714. [PMID: 29158490 PMCID: PMC5696348 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-017-01971-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/04/2017] [Accepted: 10/30/2017] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
The hierarchical relationships between various stem and progenitor cell subpopulations driving mammary gland morphogenesis and homoeostasis are poorly understood. Conditional inactivation experiments previously demonstrated that expression of the zinc finger transcriptional repressor Blimp1/PRDM1 is essential for the establishment of epithelial cell polarity and functional maturation of alveolar cells. Here we exploit a Prdm1.CreERT2-LacZ reporter allele for lineage tracing experiments. Blimp1 expression marks a rare subpopulation of unipotent luminal stem cells that initially appear in the embryonic mammary gland at around E17.5 coincident with the segregation of the luminal and basal compartments. Fate mapping at multiple time points in combination with whole-mount confocal imaging revealed these long-lived unipotent luminal stem cells survive consecutive involutions and retain their identity throughout adult life. Blimp1+ luminal stem cells give rise to Blimp1− progeny that are invariably Elf5+ERα−PR−. Thus, Blimp1 expression defines a mammary stem cell subpopulation with unique functional characteristics. The role of stem/progenitor cell populations in mammary gland morphogenesis is not well understood. Here, the authors show that a transcriptional repressor, Blimp1, is expressed in a rare luminal stem cell population, which contribute to duct formation, and survive multiple rounds of pregnancy and involution.
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33
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Subramani R, Lakshmanaswamy R. Pregnancy and Breast Cancer. PROGRESS IN MOLECULAR BIOLOGY AND TRANSLATIONAL SCIENCE 2017; 151:81-111. [PMID: 29096898 DOI: 10.1016/bs.pmbts.2017.07.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
Breast cancer is the most commonly diagnosed type of cancer among women worldwide. The majority of breast cancers are sporadic and the etiology is not well understood. Several factors have been attributed to altering the risk of breast cancer. A full-term pregnancy is a crucial factor in altering the risk. Early full-term pregnancy has been shown to reduce the lifetime risk of breast cancer, while a later first full-term pregnancy increases breast cancer risk. Epidemiological and experimental data demonstrate that spontaneous or induced abortions do not significantly alter the risk of breast cancer. In this study, we briefly discuss the different types and stages of breast cancer, various risk factors, and potential mechanisms involved in early full-term pregnancy-induced protection against breast cancer. Understanding how early full-term pregnancy induces protection against breast cancer will help design innovative preventive and therapeutic strategies. This understanding can also help in the development of molecular biomarkers that can be of tremendous help in predicting the risk of breast cancer in the general population.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ramadevi Subramani
- Center of Emphasis in Cancer Research, Paul L. Foster School of Medicine, Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center El Paso, El Paso, TX, United States
| | - Rajkumar Lakshmanaswamy
- Center of Emphasis in Cancer Research, Paul L. Foster School of Medicine, Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center El Paso, El Paso, TX, United States.
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34
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Mammary Stem Cells: Premise, Properties, and Perspectives. Trends Cell Biol 2017; 27:556-567. [DOI: 10.1016/j.tcb.2017.04.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 79] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/16/2017] [Revised: 04/01/2017] [Accepted: 04/03/2017] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
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35
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Fundamental Pathways in Breast Cancer 4: Signaling to Chromatin in Breast Development. Breast Cancer 2017. [DOI: 10.1007/978-3-319-48848-6_4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
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36
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Abstract
Lineage tracing analysis allows mammary epithelial cells to be tracked in their natural environment, thereby revealing cell fate and proliferation choices in the intact tissue. This technique is particularly informative for studying how stem cells build and maintain the mammary epithelium during development and pregnancy. Here we describe two experimental systems based on Cre/loxP technology (CreERT2/loxP and rtTA/tetO-Cre/loxP), which allow the inducible, permanent labeling of mammary epithelial cells following the administration of either tamoxifen or doxycycline.
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37
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Blaas L, Pucci F, Messal HA, Andersson AB, Ruiz EJ, Gerling M, Douagi I, Spencer-Dene B, Musch A, Mitter R, Bhaw L, Stone R, Bornhorst D, Sesay AK, Jonkers J, Stamp G, Malanchi I, Toftgård R, Behrens A. Lgr6 labels a rare population of mammary gland progenitor cells that are able to originate luminal mammary tumours. Nat Cell Biol 2016; 18:1346-1356. [PMID: 27798604 PMCID: PMC5812439 DOI: 10.1038/ncb3434] [Citation(s) in RCA: 62] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/11/2016] [Accepted: 09/27/2016] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
The mammary gland is composed of a complex cellular hierarchy with unusual postnatal plasticity. The identities of stem/progenitor cell populations, as well as tumour-initiating cells that give rise to breast cancer, are incompletely understood. Here we show that Lgr6 marks rare populations of cells in both basal and luminal mammary gland compartments in mice. Lineage tracing analysis showed that Lgr6+ cells are unipotent progenitors, which expand clonally during puberty but diminish in adulthood. In pregnancy or following stimulation with ovarian hormones, adult Lgr6+ cells regained proliferative potency and their progeny formed alveoli over repeated pregnancies. Oncogenic mutations in Lgr6+ cells resulted in expansion of luminal cells, culminating in mammary gland tumours. Conversely, depletion of Lgr6+ cells in the MMTV-PyMT model of mammary tumorigenesis significantly impaired tumour growth. Thus, Lgr6 marks mammary gland progenitor cells that can initiate tumours, and cells of luminal breast tumours required for efficient tumour maintenance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Leander Blaas
- Center for Innovative Medicine (CIMED), Department of Biosciences and Nutrition, Karolinska Institutet, Novum, 141 83 Huddinge, Sweden
| | - Fabio Pucci
- Adult Stem Cell Laboratory, The Francis Crick Institute, 1 Midland Road, London NW1 1AT,UK
| | - Hendrik A. Messal
- Adult Stem Cell Laboratory, The Francis Crick Institute, 1 Midland Road, London NW1 1AT,UK
| | - Agneta B. Andersson
- Center for Innovative Medicine (CIMED), Department of Biosciences and Nutrition, Karolinska Institutet, Novum, 141 83 Huddinge, Sweden
| | - E. Josue Ruiz
- Adult Stem Cell Laboratory, The Francis Crick Institute, 1 Midland Road, London NW1 1AT,UK
| | - Marco Gerling
- Center for Innovative Medicine (CIMED), Department of Biosciences and Nutrition, Karolinska Institutet, Novum, 141 83 Huddinge, Sweden
| | - Iyadh Douagi
- Department of Medicine, Center for Hematology and Regenerative Medicine, Karolinska Institutet, Novum, 141 83 Huddinge, Sweden
| | - Bradley Spencer-Dene
- Experimental Histopathology, The Francis Crick Institute, 1 Midland Road, London NW1 1AT,UK
| | - Alexandra Musch
- Center for Innovative Medicine (CIMED), Department of Biosciences and Nutrition, Karolinska Institutet, Novum, 141 83 Huddinge, Sweden
| | - Richard Mitter
- Bioinformatics and Biostatistics, The Francis Crick Institute, 1 Midland Road, London NW1 1AT,UK
| | - Leena Bhaw
- Advanced Sequencing Facility, The Francis Crick Institute, Mill Hill Laboratory, The Ridgeway, London NW7 1AA, UK
| | - Richard Stone
- Experimental Histopathology, The Francis Crick Institute, 1 Midland Road, London NW1 1AT,UK
| | - Dorothee Bornhorst
- Center for Innovative Medicine (CIMED), Department of Biosciences and Nutrition, Karolinska Institutet, Novum, 141 83 Huddinge, Sweden
| | - Abdul K. Sesay
- Advanced Sequencing Facility, The Francis Crick Institute, Mill Hill Laboratory, The Ridgeway, London NW7 1AA, UK
| | - Jos Jonkers
- Division of Molecular Pathology and Cancer, The Netherlands Cancer Institute, 1066 CX Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Gordon Stamp
- Experimental Histopathology, The Francis Crick Institute, 1 Midland Road, London NW1 1AT,UK
| | - Ilaria Malanchi
- Tumour-Stroma Interactions in Cancer Laboratory, The Francis Crick Institute, 1 Midland Road, London NW1 1AT,UK
| | - Rune Toftgård
- Center for Innovative Medicine (CIMED), Department of Biosciences and Nutrition, Karolinska Institutet, Novum, 141 83 Huddinge, Sweden
| | - Axel Behrens
- Adult Stem Cell Laboratory, The Francis Crick Institute, 1 Midland Road, London NW1 1AT,UK
- Faculty of Life Sciences & Medicine, King's College London, Guy's Campus, London SE1 1UL, UK
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38
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Kass EM, Lim PX, Helgadottir HR, Moynahan ME, Jasin M. Robust homology-directed repair within mouse mammary tissue is not specifically affected by Brca2 mutation. Nat Commun 2016; 7:13241. [PMID: 27779185 PMCID: PMC5093336 DOI: 10.1038/ncomms13241] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/05/2016] [Accepted: 09/15/2016] [Indexed: 01/07/2023] Open
Abstract
The mammary gland undergoes significant proliferative stages after birth, but little is known about how the developmental changes impact DNA double-strand break (DSB) repair. Mutations in multiple genes involved in homology-directed repair (HDR), considered a particularly accurate pathway for repairing DSBs, are linked to breast cancer susceptibility, including BRCA2. Using reporter mice that express an inducible endonuclease, we find that HDR is particularly robust in mammary tissue during puberty and pregnancy, accounting for 34-40% of detected repair events, more than in other tissues examined. Brca2 hypomorphic mutation leads to HDR defects in mammary epithelium during puberty and pregnancy, including in different epithelial lineages. Notably, a similar dependence on Brca2 is observed in other proliferative tissues, including small intestine epithelium. Our results suggest that the greater reliance on HDR in the proliferating mammary gland, rather than a specific dependence on BRCA2, may increase its susceptibility to tumorigenesis incurred by BRCA2 mutation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elizabeth M Kass
- Developmental Biology Program, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, 1275 York Avenue, New York, New York 10065, USA
| | - Pei Xin Lim
- Developmental Biology Program, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, 1275 York Avenue, New York, New York 10065, USA
| | - Hildur R Helgadottir
- Developmental Biology Program, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, 1275 York Avenue, New York, New York 10065, USA
| | - Mary Ellen Moynahan
- Department of Medicine, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, 1275 York Avenue, New York, New York 10065, USA
| | - Maria Jasin
- Developmental Biology Program, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, 1275 York Avenue, New York, New York 10065, USA
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39
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Callahan R, Chestnut BA, Raafat A. Original Research: Featured Article: Imatinib mesylate (Gleevec) inhibits Notch and c-Myc signaling: Five-day treatment permanently rescues mammary development. Exp Biol Med (Maywood) 2016; 242:53-67. [PMID: 27550925 DOI: 10.1177/1535370216665175] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/08/2016] [Accepted: 07/28/2016] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
Wap-Int3 transgenic females expressing the Notch4 intracellular domain (designated Int3) from the whey acidic protein promoter exhibit two phenotypes in the mammary gland: blockage of lobuloalveolar development and lactation, and tumor development with 100% penetrance. Previously, we have shown that treatment of Wap-Int3 tumor bearing mice with Imatinib mesylate (Gleevec) is associated with complete regression of the tumor. In the present study, we show that treatment of Wap-Int3 mice during day 1 through day 6 of pregnancy with Gleevec leads to the restoration of their lobuloalveolar development and ability to lactate in subsequent pregnancies in absence of Gleevec treatment. In addition, these mice do not develop mammary tumors. We investigated the mechanism for Gleevec regulation of Notch signaling and found that Gleevec treatment results in a loss of Int3 protein but not of Int3 mRNA in HC11 mouse mammary epithelial cells expressing Int3. The addition of MG-132, a proteasome inhibitor, shows increased ubiquitination of Int3 in the presence of Gleevec. Thus, Gleevec affects the stability of Int3 by promoting the degradation of Int3 via E3 ubiquitin ligases targeting it for the proteasome degradation. Gleevec is a tyrosine kinase inhibitor that acts on c-Kit and PDGFR. Therefore, we investigated the downstream substrate kinase GSK3β to ascertain the possible role that this kinase might play in the stability of Int3. Data show that Gleevec degradation of Int3 is GSK3β dependent. We have expanded our study of the effects Gleevec has on tumorigenesis of other oncogenes. We have found that anchorage-independent growth of HC11-c-Myc cells as well as tumor growth in nude mice is inhibited by Gleevec treatment. As with Int3, Gleevec treatment appears to destabilize the c-Myc protein but not mRNA. These results indicate that Gleevec could be a potential therapeutic drug for patients bearing Notch4 and/or c-Myc positive breast carcinomas.
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Affiliation(s)
- Robert Callahan
- Basic Research Laboratory, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20814, USA
| | - Barry A Chestnut
- Basic Research Laboratory, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20814, USA
| | - Ahmed Raafat
- Basic Research Laboratory, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20814, USA
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40
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Gross K, Wronski A, Skibinski A, Phillips S, Kuperwasser C, Dettman RW, Wessels A. Cell Fate Decisions During Breast Cancer Development. J Dev Biol 2016; 4:4. [PMID: 27110512 PMCID: PMC4840277 DOI: 10.3390/jdb4010004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/21/2015] [Accepted: 01/20/2016] [Indexed: 01/07/2023] Open
Abstract
During the formation of breast cancer, many genes become altered as cells evolve progressively from normal to a pre-malignant to a malignant state of growth. How mutations in genes lead to specific subtypes of human breast cancer is only partially understood. Here we review how initial genetic or epigenetic alterations within mammary epithelial cells (MECs) can alter cell fate decisions and put pre-malignant cells on a path towards cancer development with specific phenotypes. Understanding the early stages of breast cancer initiation and progression and how normal developmental processes are hijacked during transformation has significant implications for improving early detection and prevention of breast cancer. In addition, insights gleaned from this understanding may also be important for developing subtype-specific treatment options.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kayla Gross
- Department of Developmental, Molecular and Chemical Biology, Sackler School of Graduate Biomedical Sciences, Tufts University School of Medicine, 136 Harrison Ave., Boston, MA 02111, USA
- Raymond and Beverly Sackler Convergence Laboratory, Tufts University School of Medicine, 145 Harrison Ave., Boston, MA 02111, USA
- Molecular Oncology Research Institute, Tufts Medical Center, 800 Washington St., Boston, MA 02111, USA
| | - Ania Wronski
- Department of Developmental, Molecular and Chemical Biology, Sackler School of Graduate Biomedical Sciences, Tufts University School of Medicine, 136 Harrison Ave., Boston, MA 02111, USA
- Raymond and Beverly Sackler Convergence Laboratory, Tufts University School of Medicine, 145 Harrison Ave., Boston, MA 02111, USA
- Molecular Oncology Research Institute, Tufts Medical Center, 800 Washington St., Boston, MA 02111, USA
| | - Adam Skibinski
- Department of Developmental, Molecular and Chemical Biology, Sackler School of Graduate Biomedical Sciences, Tufts University School of Medicine, 136 Harrison Ave., Boston, MA 02111, USA
- Molecular Oncology Research Institute, Tufts Medical Center, 800 Washington St., Boston, MA 02111, USA
| | - Sarah Phillips
- Department of Developmental, Molecular and Chemical Biology, Sackler School of Graduate Biomedical Sciences, Tufts University School of Medicine, 136 Harrison Ave., Boston, MA 02111, USA
- Molecular Oncology Research Institute, Tufts Medical Center, 800 Washington St., Boston, MA 02111, USA
| | - Charlotte Kuperwasser
- Department of Developmental, Molecular and Chemical Biology, Sackler School of Graduate Biomedical Sciences, Tufts University School of Medicine, 136 Harrison Ave., Boston, MA 02111, USA
- Raymond and Beverly Sackler Convergence Laboratory, Tufts University School of Medicine, 145 Harrison Ave., Boston, MA 02111, USA
- Molecular Oncology Research Institute, Tufts Medical Center, 800 Washington St., Boston, MA 02111, USA
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41
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Sreekumar A, Roarty K, Rosen JM. The mammary stem cell hierarchy: a looking glass into heterogeneous breast cancer landscapes. Endocr Relat Cancer 2015; 22. [PMID: 26206777 PMCID: PMC4618079 DOI: 10.1530/erc-15-0263] [Citation(s) in RCA: 38] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
The mammary gland is a dynamic organ that undergoes extensive morphogenesis during the different stages of embryonic development, puberty, estrus, pregnancy, lactation and involution. Systemic and local cues underlie this constant tissue remodeling and act by eliciting an intricate pattern of responses in the mammary epithelial and stromal cells. Decades of studies utilizing methods such as transplantation and lineage-tracing have identified a complex hierarchy of mammary stem cells, progenitors and differentiated epithelial cells that fuel mammary epithelial development. Importantly, these studies have extended our understanding of the molecular crosstalk between cell types and the signaling pathways maintaining normal homeostasis that often are deregulated during tumorigenesis. While several questions remain, this research has many implications for breast cancer. Fundamental among these are the identification of the cells of origin for the multiple subtypes of breast cancer and the understanding of tumor heterogeneity. A deeper understanding of these critical questions will unveil novel breast cancer drug targets and treatment paradigms. In this review, we provide a current overview of normal mammary development and tumorigenesis from a stem cell perspective.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amulya Sreekumar
- Department of Molecular and Cellular BiologyBaylor College of Medicine, One Baylor Plaza, DeBakey Building M638, Houston, Texas 77030, USA
| | - Kevin Roarty
- Department of Molecular and Cellular BiologyBaylor College of Medicine, One Baylor Plaza, DeBakey Building M638, Houston, Texas 77030, USA
| | - Jeffrey M Rosen
- Department of Molecular and Cellular BiologyBaylor College of Medicine, One Baylor Plaza, DeBakey Building M638, Houston, Texas 77030, USA
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42
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Giraddi RR, Shehata M, Gallardo M, Blasco MA, Simons BD, Stingl J. Stem and progenitor cell division kinetics during postnatal mouse mammary gland development. Nat Commun 2015; 6:8487. [PMID: 26511661 PMCID: PMC4632194 DOI: 10.1038/ncomms9487] [Citation(s) in RCA: 58] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/27/2015] [Accepted: 08/26/2015] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
The cycling properties of mammary stem and progenitor cells is not well understood. To determine the division properties of these cells, we administered synthetic nucleosides for varying periods of time to mice at different stages of postnatal development and monitored the rate of uptake of these nucleosides in the different mammary cell compartments. Here we show that most cell division in the adult virgin gland is restricted to the oestrogen receptor-expressing luminal cell lineage. Our data also demonstrate that the oestrogen receptor-expressing, milk and basal cell subpopulations have telomere lengths and cell division kinetics that are not compatible with these cells being hierarchically organized; instead, our data indicate that in the adult homeostatic gland, each cell type is largely maintained by its own restricted progenitors. We also observe that transplantable stem cells are largely quiescent during oestrus, but are cycling during dioestrus when progesterone levels are high.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rajshekhar R. Giraddi
- Cancer Research UK Cambridge Institute, Li Ka Shing Centre, University of Cambridge, Robinson Way, Cambridge CB2 0RE, UK
| | - Mona Shehata
- Cancer Research UK Cambridge Institute, Li Ka Shing Centre, University of Cambridge, Robinson Way, Cambridge CB2 0RE, UK
| | - Mercedes Gallardo
- Telomeres and Telomerase Group, Molecular Oncology Program, Spanish National Cancer Research Centre (CNIO), Melchor Fernández Almagro 3, Madrid E-28029, Spain
| | - Maria A. Blasco
- Telomeres and Telomerase Group, Molecular Oncology Program, Spanish National Cancer Research Centre (CNIO), Melchor Fernández Almagro 3, Madrid E-28029, Spain
| | - Benjamin D. Simons
- Cavendish Laboratory, University of Cambridge, 19 JJ Thomson Avenue Cambridge CB3 0HE, UK
- The Wellcome Trust/Cancer Research UK Gurdon Institute, University of Cambridge, Tennis Court Road, Cambridge CB2 1QN, UK
- Wellcome Trust-Medical Research Council Stem Cell Institute, University of Cambridge, Tennis Court Road CB2 1QR, UK
| | - John Stingl
- Cancer Research UK Cambridge Institute, Li Ka Shing Centre, University of Cambridge, Robinson Way, Cambridge CB2 0RE, UK
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43
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Tao L, van Bragt MPA, Li Z. A Long-Lived Luminal Subpopulation Enriched with Alveolar Progenitors Serves as Cellular Origin of Heterogeneous Mammary Tumors. Stem Cell Reports 2015; 5:60-74. [PMID: 26120057 PMCID: PMC4618443 DOI: 10.1016/j.stemcr.2015.05.014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/25/2014] [Revised: 05/26/2015] [Accepted: 05/26/2015] [Indexed: 12/26/2022] Open
Abstract
It has been shown that the mammary luminal lineage could be maintained by luminal stem cells or long-lived progenitors, but their identity and role in breast cancer remain largely elusive. By lineage analysis using Wap-Cre mice, we found that, in nulliparous females, mammary epithelial cells (MECs) genetically marked by Wap-Cre represented a subpopulation of CD61+ luminal progenitors independent of ovarian hormones for their maintenance. Using a pulse-chase lineage-tracing approach based on Wap-Cre adenovirus (Ad-Wap-Cre), we found that Ad-Wap-Cre-marked nulliparous MECs were enriched with CD61+ alveolar progenitors (APs) that gave rise to CD61- alveolar luminal cells during pregnancy/lactation and could maintain themselves long term. When transformed by different oncogenes, they could serve as cells of origin of heterogeneous mammary tumors. Thus, our study revealed a type of long-lived AP within the luminal lineage that may serve as the cellular origin of multiple breast cancer subtypes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Luwei Tao
- Division of Genetics, Brigham and Women's Hospital (BWH), Boston, MA 02115, USA; Department of Medicine, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Maaike P A van Bragt
- Division of Genetics, Brigham and Women's Hospital (BWH), Boston, MA 02115, USA; Department of Medicine, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Zhe Li
- Division of Genetics, Brigham and Women's Hospital (BWH), Boston, MA 02115, USA; Department of Medicine, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA.
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44
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Hein SM, Haricharan S, Johnston AN, Toneff MJ, Reddy JP, Dong J, Bu W, Li Y. Luminal epithelial cells within the mammary gland can produce basal cells upon oncogenic stress. Oncogene 2015; 35:1461-7. [PMID: 26096929 PMCID: PMC4688047 DOI: 10.1038/onc.2015.206] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/02/2014] [Revised: 05/04/2015] [Accepted: 05/04/2015] [Indexed: 01/05/2023]
Abstract
In the normal mammary gland, the basal epithelium is known to be bipotent and can generate either basal or luminal cells, whereas the luminal epithelium has not been demonstrated to contribute to the basal compartment in an intact and normally developed mammary gland. It is not clear whether cellular heterogeneity within a breast tumor results from transformation of bipotent basal cells or from transformation and subsequent basal conversion of the more differentiated luminal cells. Here we used a retroviral vector to express an oncogene specifically in a small number of the mammary luminal epithelial cells and tested their potential to produce basal cells during tumorigenesis. This in-vivo lineage-tracing work demonstrates that luminal cells are capable of producing basal cells on activation of either polyoma middle T antigen or ErbB2 signaling. These findings reveal the plasticity of the luminal compartment during tumorigenesis and provide an explanation for cellular heterogeneity within a cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- S M Hein
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA.,Lester and Sue Smith Breast Center, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA
| | - S Haricharan
- Lester and Sue Smith Breast Center, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA
| | - A N Johnston
- Lester and Sue Smith Breast Center, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA
| | - M J Toneff
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA
| | - J P Reddy
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA
| | - J Dong
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA.,Lester and Sue Smith Breast Center, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA
| | - W Bu
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA.,Lester and Sue Smith Breast Center, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Y Li
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA.,Lester and Sue Smith Breast Center, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA
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45
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Tarulli GA, Laven-Law G, Shakya R, Tilley WD, Hickey TE. Hormone-sensing mammary epithelial progenitors: emerging identity and hormonal regulation. J Mammary Gland Biol Neoplasia 2015; 20:75-91. [PMID: 26390871 DOI: 10.1007/s10911-015-9344-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/30/2015] [Accepted: 09/07/2015] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
The hormone-sensing mammary epithelial cell (HS-MEC-expressing oestrogen receptor-alpha (ERα) and progesterone receptor (PGR)) is often represented as being terminally differentiated and lacking significant progenitor activity after puberty. Therefore while able to profoundly influence the proliferation and function of other MEC populations, HS-MECs are purported not to respond to sex hormone signals by engaging in significant cell proliferation during adulthood. This is a convenient and practical simplification that overshadows the sublime, and potentially critical, phenotypic plasticity found within the adult HS-MEC population. This concept is exemplified by the large proportion (~80 %) of human breast cancers expressing PGR and/or ERα, demonstrating that HS-MECs clearly proliferate in the context of breast cancer. Understanding how HS-MEC proliferation and differentiation is driven could be key to unraveling the mechanisms behind uncontrolled HS-MEC proliferation associated with ERα- and/or PGR-positive breast cancers. Herein we review evidence for the existence of a HS-MEC progenitor and the emerging plasticity of the HS-MEC population in general. This is followed by an analysis of hormones other than oestrogen and progesterone that are able to influence HS-MEC proliferation and differentiation: androgens, prolactin and transforming growth factor-beta1.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gerard A Tarulli
- Dame Roma Mitchell Cancer Research Laboratories (DRMCRL), School of Medicine, Faculty of Health Sciences, The University of Adelaide, Adelaide, SA, 5005, Australia.
| | - Geraldine Laven-Law
- Dame Roma Mitchell Cancer Research Laboratories (DRMCRL), School of Medicine, Faculty of Health Sciences, The University of Adelaide, Adelaide, SA, 5005, Australia
| | - Reshma Shakya
- Breast Cancer Genetics Laboratory, Centre for Personalised Cancer Medicine, School of Medicine, Faculty of Health Sciences, The University of Adelaide, Adelaide, SA, 5005, Australia
| | - Wayne D Tilley
- Dame Roma Mitchell Cancer Research Laboratories (DRMCRL), School of Medicine, Faculty of Health Sciences, The University of Adelaide, Adelaide, SA, 5005, Australia
| | - Theresa E Hickey
- Dame Roma Mitchell Cancer Research Laboratories (DRMCRL), School of Medicine, Faculty of Health Sciences, The University of Adelaide, Adelaide, SA, 5005, Australia
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46
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Tornillo G, Smalley MJ. ERrrr…where are the progenitors? Hormone receptors and mammary cell heterogeneity. J Mammary Gland Biol Neoplasia 2015; 20:63-73. [PMID: 26193872 PMCID: PMC4595529 DOI: 10.1007/s10911-015-9336-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/29/2015] [Accepted: 07/08/2015] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
The mammary epithelium is a highly heterogenous and dynamic tissue that includes a range of cell types with varying levels of proliferative capacity and differentiation potential, from stem to committed progenitor and mature cells. Generation of mature cells through expansion and specification of immature precursors is driven by hormonal and local stimuli. Intriguingly, although circulating hormones can be directly sensed only by a subset of mammary cells, they also regulate the behaviour of cells lacking their cognate receptors through paracrine mechanisms. Thus, mapping the hormonal signalling network on to the emerging mammary cell hierarchy appears to be a difficult task. Nevertheless, a first step towards a better understanding is the characterization of the hormone receptor expression pattern across individual cell types in the mammary epithelium. Here we review the most relevant findings on the cellular distribution of hormone receptors in the mammary gland, taking into account differences between mice and humans, the methods employed to assess receptor expression as well as the variety of approaches used to resolve the mammary cell heterogeneity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Giusy Tornillo
- European Cancer Stem Cell Research Institute, School of Biosciences, Cardiff, CF24 4HQ, UK.
| | - Matthew J Smalley
- European Cancer Stem Cell Research Institute, School of Biosciences, Cardiff, CF24 4HQ, UK
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47
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Arendt LM, Kuperwasser C. Form and function: how estrogen and progesterone regulate the mammary epithelial hierarchy. J Mammary Gland Biol Neoplasia 2015; 20:9-25. [PMID: 26188694 PMCID: PMC4596764 DOI: 10.1007/s10911-015-9337-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 86] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/11/2015] [Accepted: 07/08/2015] [Indexed: 12/30/2022] Open
Abstract
The mammary gland undergoes dramatic post-natal growth beginning at puberty, followed by full development occurring during pregnancy and lactation. Following lactation, the alveoli undergo apoptosis, and the mammary gland reverses back to resemble the nonparous gland. This process of growth and regression occurs for multiple pregnancies, suggesting the presence of a hierarchy of stem and progenitor cells that are able to regenerate specialized populations of mammary epithelial cells. Expansion of epithelial cell populations in the mammary gland is regulated by ovarian steroids, in particular estrogen acting through its receptor estrogen receptor alpha (ERα) and progesterone signaling through progesterone receptor (PR). A diverse number of stem and progenitor cells have been identified based on expression of cell surface markers and functional assays. Here we review the current understanding of how estrogen and progesterone act together and separately to regulate stem and progenitor cells within the human and mouse mammary tissues. Better understanding of the hierarchal organization of epithelial cell populations in the mammary gland and how the hormonal milieu affects its regulation may provide important insights into the origins of different subtypes of breast cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lisa M Arendt
- Developmental, Molecular, and Chemical Biology Department, Sackler School of Graduate Biomedical Sciences, Tufts University School of Medicine, 136 Harrison Ave, Boston, MA, 02111, USA
- Molecular Oncology Research Institute, Tufts Medical Center, 800 Washington St, Boston, MA, 02111, USA
- Raymond and Beverly Sackler Laboratory for the Convergence of Biomedical, Physical and Engineering Sciences, Boston, MA, 02111, USA
- Department of Comparative Biosciences, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of Wisconsin-Madison, 2015 Linden Dr, Madison, WI, 53706, USA
| | - Charlotte Kuperwasser
- Developmental, Molecular, and Chemical Biology Department, Sackler School of Graduate Biomedical Sciences, Tufts University School of Medicine, 136 Harrison Ave, Boston, MA, 02111, USA.
- Molecular Oncology Research Institute, Tufts Medical Center, 800 Washington St, Boston, MA, 02111, USA.
- Raymond and Beverly Sackler Laboratory for the Convergence of Biomedical, Physical and Engineering Sciences, Boston, MA, 02111, USA.
- Developmental, Molecular, and Chemical Biology Department, Tufts University School of Medicine, 800 Washington St, Box 5609, Boston, MA, 02111, USA.
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48
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Sale S, Pavelic K. Mammary lineage tracing: the coming of age. Cell Mol Life Sci 2015; 72:1577-83. [PMID: 25563489 PMCID: PMC11113887 DOI: 10.1007/s00018-014-1817-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/07/2014] [Revised: 12/16/2014] [Accepted: 12/19/2014] [Indexed: 10/24/2022]
Abstract
Identification and characterization of the normal epithelial lineages in the mammary gland is a fundamental step in understanding both development and cellular origin of cancer. In contrast to other tissues where lineage tracing has been widely accepted as a method of choice for dissecting the stem cell hierarchy, mammary gland has long remained a challenge due to its unique developmental and topological features. Recent advances in high-resolution single-cell imaging, combined with the use of inducible Cre-recombinase and in situ cell ablation, have provided unprecedented insight into mammary epithelial cell composition and function. Here, we briefly summarize and compare different mammary gland lineage tracing strategies, examine associated caveats and discuss future challenges and opportunities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sanja Sale
- Department of Biotechnology, University of Rijeka, Radmile Matejcic 2, 51000, Rijeka, Croatia,
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49
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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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50
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The origin of breast tumor heterogeneity. Oncogene 2015; 34:5309-16. [PMID: 25703331 DOI: 10.1038/onc.2014.475] [Citation(s) in RCA: 109] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/08/2014] [Revised: 12/29/2014] [Accepted: 12/29/2014] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
How breast diversity is generated is a fascinating and fundamental question with important clinical implications. It is clear that the diversity of phenotypes displayed by breast cancer cells reflects the array of cell types present in the disease-free breast epithelium, including luminal, basal and stem cells. Therefore, it is hypothesized that the molecular regulators governing normal development of the breast epithelium may double as engines of breast tumor diversity. In the past few years, a deepened understanding of the mammary epithelial hierarchy has prompted the search for the cellular precursors of breast tumors. At the same time, the use of novel experimental strategies including the new technology of massively parallel sequencing has provided insight into the origin and evolution of breast tumors. Here, we review the current understanding of the basis of the intrinsic subtypes and the sources of inter-tumor heterogeneity.
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