1
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Murrow LM, Weber RJ, Caruso JA, McGinnis CS, Phong K, Gascard P, Rabadam G, Borowsky AD, Desai TA, Thomson M, Tlsty T, Gartner ZJ. Mapping hormone-regulated cell-cell interaction networks in the human breast at single-cell resolution. Cell Syst 2022; 13:644-664.e8. [PMID: 35863345 PMCID: PMC9590200 DOI: 10.1016/j.cels.2022.06.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/02/2021] [Revised: 03/02/2022] [Accepted: 06/22/2022] [Indexed: 01/26/2023]
Abstract
The rise and fall of estrogen and progesterone across menstrual cycles and during pregnancy regulates breast development and modifies cancer risk. How these hormones impact each cell type in the breast remains poorly understood because they act indirectly through paracrine networks. Using single-cell analysis of premenopausal breast tissue, we reveal a network of coordinated transcriptional programs representing the tissue-level response to changing hormone levels. Our computational approach, DECIPHER-seq, leverages person-to-person variability in breast composition and cell state to uncover programs that co-vary across individuals. We use differences in cell-type proportions to infer a subset of programs that arise from direct cell-cell interactions regulated by hormones. Further, we demonstrate that prior pregnancy and obesity modify hormone responsiveness through distinct mechanisms: obesity reduces the proportion of hormone-responsive cells, whereas pregnancy dampens the direct response of these cells to hormones. Together, these results provide a comprehensive map of the cycling human breast.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lyndsay M Murrow
- Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94158, USA.
| | - Robert J Weber
- Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94158, USA; Medical Scientist Training Program (MSTP), University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94518, USA; Department of Bioengineering and Therapeutic Sciences, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94158, USA
| | - Joseph A Caruso
- Department of Pathology and Helen Diller Cancer Center, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94143, USA
| | - Christopher S McGinnis
- Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94158, USA
| | - Kiet Phong
- Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94158, USA; Department of Bioengineering and Therapeutic Sciences, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94158, USA
| | - Philippe Gascard
- Department of Pathology and Helen Diller Cancer Center, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94143, USA
| | - Gabrielle Rabadam
- Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94158, USA; Department of Bioengineering and Therapeutic Sciences, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94158, USA
| | - Alexander D Borowsky
- Center for Immunology and Infectious Diseases, Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, University of California, Davis, Davis, CA 95696, USA
| | - Tejal A Desai
- Department of Bioengineering and Therapeutic Sciences, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94158, USA
| | | | - Thea Tlsty
- Department of Pathology and Helen Diller Cancer Center, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94143, USA
| | - Zev J Gartner
- Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94158, USA; Chan Zuckerberg Biohub, San Francisco, CA 94158, USA.
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2
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Pitzer LM, Moroney MR, Nokoff NJ, Sikora MJ. WNT4 Balances Development vs Disease in Gynecologic Tissues and Women's Health. Endocrinology 2021; 162:6272210. [PMID: 33963381 PMCID: PMC8197283 DOI: 10.1210/endocr/bqab093] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/08/2021] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
The WNT family of proteins is crucial in numerous developmental pathways and tissue homeostasis. WNT4, in particular, is uniquely implicated in the development of the female phenotype in the fetus, and in the maintenance of müllerian and reproductive tissues. WNT4 dysfunction or dysregulation can drive sex-reversal syndromes, highlighting the key role of WNT4 in sex determination. WNT4 is also critical in gynecologic pathologies later in life, including several cancers, uterine fibroids, endometriosis, and infertility. The role of WNT4 in normal decidualization, implantation, and gestation is being increasingly appreciated, while aberrant activation of WNT4 signaling is being linked both to gynecologic and breast cancers. Notably, single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) at the WNT4 gene locus are strongly associated with these pathologies and may functionally link estrogen and estrogen receptor signaling to upregulation and activation of WNT4 signaling. Importantly, in each of these developmental and disease states, WNT4 gene expression and downstream WNT4 signaling are regulated and executed by myriad tissue-specific pathways. Here, we review the roles of WNT4 in women's health with a focus on sex development, and gynecologic and breast pathologies, and our understanding of how WNT4 signaling is controlled in these contexts. Defining WNT4 functions provides a unique opportunity to link sex-specific signaling pathways to women's health and disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lauren M Pitzer
- Department of Pathology, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, Colorado 80045, USA
| | - Marisa R Moroney
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, Colorado 80045, USA
| | - Natalie J Nokoff
- Department of Pediatrics, Section of Endocrinology, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, Colorado 80045, USA
| | - Matthew J Sikora
- Department of Pathology, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, Colorado 80045, USA
- Correspondence: Matthew J. Sikora, PhD; Department of Pathology, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Mail Stop 8104, Research Complex 1 South, Rm 5117, 12801 E 17th Ave, Aurora, CO 80045, USA. . Twitter: @mjsikora
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3
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Stewart TA, Hughes K, Stevenson AJ, Marino N, Ju AL, Morehead M, Davis FM. Mammary mechanobiology - investigating roles for mechanically activated ion channels in lactation and involution. J Cell Sci 2021; 134:jcs248849. [PMID: 33262312 DOI: 10.1242/jcs.248849] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/12/2020] [Accepted: 11/06/2020] [Indexed: 01/14/2023] Open
Abstract
The ability of a mother to produce a nutritionally complete neonatal food source has provided a powerful evolutionary advantage to mammals. Milk production by mammary epithelial cells is adaptive, its release is exquisitely timed, and its own glandular stagnation with the permanent cessation of suckling triggers the cell death and tissue remodeling that enables female mammals to nurse successive progeny. Chemical and mechanical signals both play a role in this process. However, despite this duality of input, much remains unknown about the nature and function of mechanical forces in this organ. Here, we characterize the force landscape in the functionally mature gland and the capacity of luminal and basal cells to experience and exert force. We explore molecular instruments for force-sensing, in particular channel-mediated mechanotransduction, revealing increased expression of Piezo1 in mammary tissue in lactation and confirming functional expression in luminal cells. We also reveal, however, that lactation and involution proceed normally in mice with luminal-specific Piezo1 deletion. These findings support a multifaceted system of chemical and mechanical sensing in the mammary gland, and a protective redundancy that ensures continued lactational competence and offspring survival.
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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
| | - Katherine Hughes
- Department of Veterinary Medicine, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, CB3 0ES, UK
| | - Alexander J Stevenson
- Mater Research Institute-The University of Queensland, Faculty of Medicine, Woolloongabba, Queensland, 4102, Australia
- Translational Research Institute, Woolloongabba, Queensland, 4102, Australia
| | - Natascia Marino
- Department of Medicine, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, 46202, USA
- Susan G. Komen Tissue Bank at Indiana University Simon Cancer Center, Indianapolis, 46202, USA
| | - Adler L Ju
- Translational Research Institute, Woolloongabba, Queensland, 4102, Australia
| | - Michael Morehead
- Lane Department of Computer Science and Electrical Engineering, West Virginia University, Morgantown, 26506, USA
| | - 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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4
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Terry MB, Michels KB, Brody JG, Byrne C, Chen S, Jerry DJ, Malecki KMC, Martin MB, Miller RL, Neuhausen SL, Silk K, Trentham-Dietz A. Environmental exposures during windows of susceptibility for breast cancer: a framework for prevention research. Breast Cancer Res 2019; 21:96. [PMID: 31429809 PMCID: PMC6701090 DOI: 10.1186/s13058-019-1168-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 130] [Impact Index Per Article: 26.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Background The long time from exposure to potentially harmful chemicals until breast cancer occurrence poses challenges for designing etiologic studies and for implementing successful prevention programs. Growing evidence from animal and human studies indicates that distinct time periods of heightened susceptibility to endocrine disruptors exist throughout the life course. The influence of environmental chemicals on breast cancer risk may be greater during several windows of susceptibility (WOS) in a woman’s life, including prenatal development, puberty, pregnancy, and the menopausal transition. These time windows are considered as specific periods of susceptibility for breast cancer because significant structural and functional changes occur in the mammary gland, as well as alterations in the mammary micro-environment and hormone signaling that may influence risk. Breast cancer research focused on these breast cancer WOS will accelerate understanding of disease etiology and prevention. Main text Despite the plausible heightened mechanistic influences of environmental chemicals on breast cancer risk during time periods of change in the mammary gland’s structure and function, most human studies of environmental chemicals are not focused on specific WOS. This article reviews studies conducted over the past few decades that have specifically addressed the effect of environmental chemicals and metals on breast cancer risk during at least one of these WOS. In addition to summarizing the broader evidence-base specific to WOS, we include discussion of the NIH-funded Breast Cancer and the Environment Research Program (BCERP) which included population-based and basic science research focused on specific WOS to evaluate associations between breast cancer risk and particular classes of endocrine-disrupting chemicals—including polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, perfluorinated compounds, polybrominated diphenyl ethers, and phenols—and metals. We outline ways in which ongoing transdisciplinary BCERP projects incorporate animal research and human epidemiologic studies in close partnership with community organizations and communication scientists to identify research priorities and effectively translate evidence-based findings to the public and policy makers. Conclusions An integrative model of breast cancer research is needed to determine the impact and mechanisms of action of endocrine disruptors at different WOS. By focusing on environmental chemical exposure during specific WOS, scientists and their community partners may identify when prevention efforts are likely to be most effective.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mary Beth Terry
- Department of Epidemiology, Mailman School of Public Health, Columbia University, 722 West 168th Street, Room 1611, New York, NY, 10032, USA
| | - Karin B Michels
- Department of Epidemiology, Fielding School of Public Health, University of California, 650 Charles E. Young Drive South, CHS 71-254, Los Angeles, CA, 90095, USA
| | | | - Celia Byrne
- Department of Preventive Medicine and Biostatistics, Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences, 4301 Jones Bridge Road A-1039F, Bethesda, MD, 20814, USA
| | - Shiuan Chen
- Department of Cancer Biology, Beckman Research Institute of City of Hope, 1450 E. Duarte Road, Duarte, CA, 91010, USA
| | - D Joseph Jerry
- Pioneer Valley Life Sciences Institute and Department of Veterinary & Animal Sciences, University of Massachusetts Amherst, 661 North Pleasant St., Amherst, MA, 01003, USA
| | - Kristen M C Malecki
- Department of Population Health Sciences and the Carbone Cancer Center, School of Medicine and Public Health, University of Wisconsin-Madison, 610 Walnut St., WARF Room 605, Madison, WI, 53726, USA
| | - Mary Beth Martin
- Departments of Oncology and Biochemistry & Molecular Biology, Georgetown University Medical Center, E411 New Research Building, Washington, DC, 20057, USA
| | - Rachel L Miller
- Departments of Medicine, Pediatrics, Environmental Health Sciences; Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons, Mailman School of Public Health, Columbia University, PH8E-101B, 630 W. 168th St, New York, NY, 10032, USA
| | - Susan L Neuhausen
- Department of Population Sciences, Beckman Research Institute of City of Hope, 1450 E. Duarte Road, 1500 E. Duarte Road, Duarte, CA, 91010, USA
| | - Kami Silk
- Department of Communication, University of Delaware, 250 Pearson Hall, 125 Academy St, Newark, DE, 19716, USA
| | - Amy Trentham-Dietz
- Department of Population Health Sciences and Carbone Cancer Center, School of Medicine and Public Health, University of Wisconsin-Madison, 610 Walnut St., WARF Room 307, Madison, WI, 53726, USA.
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5
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The monoclonal antibody EPR1614Y against the stem cell biomarker keratin K15 lacks specificity and reacts with other keratins. Sci Rep 2019; 9:1943. [PMID: 30760780 PMCID: PMC6374370 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-018-38163-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/26/2018] [Accepted: 12/20/2018] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Keratin 15 (K15), a type I keratin, which pairs with K5 in epidermis, has been used extensively as a biomarker for stem cells. Two commercial antibodies, LHK15, a mouse monoclonal and EPR1614Y, a rabbit monoclonal, have been widely employed to study K15 expression. Here we report differential reactivity of these antibodies on epithelial cells and tissue sections. Although the two antibodies specifically recognised K15 on western blot, they reacted differently on skin sections and cell lines. LHK15 reacted in patches, whereas EPR1614Y reacted homogenously with the basal keratinocytes in skin sections. In cultured cells, LHK15 did not react with K15 deficient NEB-1, KEB-11, MCF-7 and SW13 cells expressing only exogenous K8 and K18 but reacted when these cells were transduced with K15. On the other hand, EPR1614Y reacted with these cells even though they were devoid of K15. Taken together these results suggest that EPR1614Y recognises a conformational epitope on keratin filaments which can be reconstituted by other keratins as well as by K15. In conclusion, this report highlights that all commercially available antibodies may not be equally specific in identifying the K15 positive stem cell.
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6
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Hilton HN, Clarke CL, Graham JD. Estrogen and progesterone signalling in the normal breast and its implications for cancer development. Mol Cell Endocrinol 2018; 466:2-14. [PMID: 28851667 DOI: 10.1016/j.mce.2017.08.011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 78] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/17/2017] [Revised: 08/11/2017] [Accepted: 08/18/2017] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
Abstract
The ovarian hormones estrogen and progesterone are master regulators of the development and function of a broad spectrum of human tissues, including the breast, reproductive and cardiovascular systems, brain and bone. Acting through the nuclear estrogen (ER) and progesterone receptors (PR), both play complex and essential coordinated roles in the extensive development of the lobular alveolar epithelial structures of the normal breast during puberty, the normal menstrual cycle and pregnancy. The past decade has seen major advances in understanding the mechanisms of action of estrogen and progesterone in the normal breast and in the delineation of the complex hierarchy of cell types regulated by ovarian hormones in this tissue. There is evidence for a role for both ER and PR in driving breast cancer, and both are favourable prognostic markers with respect to outcome. In this review, we summarize current knowledge of the mechanisms of action of ER and PR in the normal breast, and implications for the development and management of breast cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Heidi N Hilton
- Centre for Cancer Research, The Westmead Institute for Medical Research, Sydney Medical School - Westmead, The University of Sydney, Westmead, NSW 2145, Australia
| | - Christine L Clarke
- Centre for Cancer Research, The Westmead Institute for Medical Research, Sydney Medical School - Westmead, The University of Sydney, Westmead, NSW 2145, Australia
| | - J Dinny Graham
- Centre for Cancer Research, The Westmead Institute for Medical Research, Sydney Medical School - Westmead, The University of Sydney, Westmead, NSW 2145, Australia.
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7
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Bresson L, Faraldo MM, Di-Cicco A, Quintanilla M, Glukhova MA, Deugnier MA. Podoplanin regulates mammary stem cell function and tumorigenesis by potentiating Wnt/β-catenin signaling. Development 2018; 145:dev.160382. [PMID: 29361573 DOI: 10.1242/dev.160382] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/09/2017] [Accepted: 01/15/2018] [Indexed: 12/28/2022]
Abstract
Stem cells (SCs) drive mammary development, giving rise postnatally to an epithelial bilayer composed of luminal and basal myoepithelial cells. Dysregulation of SCs is thought to be at the origin of certain breast cancers; however, the molecular identity of SCs and the factors regulating their function remain poorly defined. We identified the transmembrane protein podoplanin (Pdpn) as a specific marker of the basal compartment, including multipotent SCs, and found Pdpn localized at the basal-luminal interface. Embryonic deletion of Pdpn targeted to basal cells diminished basal and luminal SC activity and affected the expression of several Wnt/β-catenin signaling components in basal cells. Moreover, Pdpn loss attenuated mammary tumor formation in a mouse model of β-catenin-induced breast cancer, limiting tumor-initiating cell expansion and promoting molecular features associated with mesenchymal-to-epithelial cell transition. In line with the loss-of-function data, we demonstrated that mechanistically Pdpn enhances Wnt/β-catenin signaling in mammary basal cells. Overall, this study uncovers a role for Pdpn in mammary SC function and, importantly, identifies Pdpn as a new regulator of Wnt/β-catenin signaling, a key pathway in mammary development and tumorigenesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laura Bresson
- Institut Curie, PSL Research University, CNRS, UMR144, Paris, F-75248, France.,Université Paris Sud, Université Paris-Saclay, F-91405, Orsay, France.,Sorbonne Universités, UPMC Univ Paris 06, F-75005, Paris, France
| | - Marisa M Faraldo
- Institut Curie, PSL Research University, CNRS, UMR144, Paris, F-75248, France.,INSERM, Paris, F-75013, France
| | - Amandine Di-Cicco
- Institut Curie, PSL Research University, CNRS, UMR144, Paris, F-75248, France
| | - Miguel Quintanilla
- Instituto de Investigaciones Biomedicas Alberto Sols, CSIC-UAM, Madrid, Spain
| | - Marina A Glukhova
- Institut Curie, PSL Research University, CNRS, UMR144, Paris, F-75248, France.,INSERM, Paris, F-75013, France
| | - Marie-Ange Deugnier
- Institut Curie, PSL Research University, CNRS, UMR144, Paris, F-75248, France .,INSERM, Paris, F-75013, France
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8
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Dall G, Risbridger G, Britt K. Mammary stem cells and parity-induced breast cancer protection- new insights. J Steroid Biochem Mol Biol 2017; 170:54-60. [PMID: 26907964 DOI: 10.1016/j.jsbmb.2016.02.018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/08/2016] [Revised: 02/09/2016] [Accepted: 02/18/2016] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
Parity (childbearing) significantly decreases a woman's risk of breast cancer and the protective effect is greater if the woman is younger and has more children. The mechanism/s of parity-induced protection are not known. Although several factors are postulated to play a role, we discuss how a reduction in the number of mammary stem cells (MaSCs) may lead to a reduction in breast cancer risk in parous women. Firstly we review the epidemiology linking childbearing to reduced breast cancer risk and discuss how additional births, a young age at first full term birth, and breastfeeding impact the protection. We then detail the mouse and human studies implicating MaSC in parity induced protection and the in-vivo work being performed in mice to directly investigate the effect of parity on MaSC. Finally we discuss the transplant and lineage tracing experiments assessing MaSC activity according to parity and the need to define if MaSC are indeed more carcinogen sensitive than mature mammary epithelial cells. Continuing and future studies attempting to define the parity induced mechanisms will aid in the development of preventative therapies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Genevieve Dall
- Metastasis Research Laboratory, Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre, 7 St Andrews Place, East Melbourne 3002, Australia; Department of Anatomy and Developmental Biology, Monash University Clayton, Wellington Rd 3800, Australia
| | - Gail Risbridger
- Department of Anatomy and Developmental Biology, Monash University Clayton, Wellington Rd 3800, Australia
| | - Kara Britt
- Metastasis Research Laboratory, Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre, 7 St Andrews Place, East Melbourne 3002, Australia; Department of Anatomy and Developmental Biology, Monash University Clayton, Wellington Rd 3800, Australia; The Sir Peter MacCallum Department of Oncology, University of Melbourne, Parkville, Australia.
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9
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Muenst S, Mechera R, Däster S, Piscuoglio S, Ng CK, Meier-Abt F, Weber WP, Soysal SD. Pregnancy at early age is associated with a reduction of progesterone-responsive cells and epithelial Wnt signaling in human breast tissue. Oncotarget 2017; 8:22353-22360. [PMID: 28423605 PMCID: PMC5410228 DOI: 10.18632/oncotarget.16023] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/18/2016] [Accepted: 02/22/2017] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Pregnancy at early age is the most significant modifiable factor which consistently decreases lifetime breast cancer risk. However, the underlying mechanisms haven't been conclusively identified. Studies in mice suggest a reduction in progesterone-receptor (PR) sensitive epithelial cells as well as a downregulation of the Wnt signaling pathway as being one of the main mechanisms for the protective effect of early pregnancy. The aim of our study was to validate these findings in humans. METHODS We collected benign breast tissue of 125 women who had been stratified according to age at first pregnancy and the occurrence of subsequent breast cancer, and performed immunohistochemistry for PR, Wnt4 and the Wnt-target Versican. RESULTS The number of PR positive epithelial cells was significantly lower in the group of women with early pregnancy and no subsequent breast cancer compared to the group of nulliparous women with subsequent invasive breast cancer (p = 0.0135). In women with early pregnancy, expression of Versican and Wnt4 was significantly lower compared to nulliparous women (p = 0.0036 and p = 0.0241 respectively), and Versican expression was also significant lower compared to women with late pregnancy (p < 0.0001). DISCUSSION Our results confirm prior observations in mice and suggest a role of downregulation of epithelial Wnt signaling in the protective effect of early pregnancy in humans. This results in a decreased proliferation of stem/progenitor cells; therefore, the Wnt signaling pathway may represent a potential target for breast cancer prevention in humans.
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Affiliation(s)
- Simone Muenst
- Institute of Pathology, University Hospital Basel, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Robert Mechera
- Department of Surgery, University Hospital Basel, Basel, Switzerland
- Department of Biomedicine, University Hospital Basel, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Silvio Däster
- Department of Surgery, University Hospital Basel, Basel, Switzerland
| | | | - Charlotte K.Y. Ng
- Institute of Pathology, University Hospital Basel, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Fabienne Meier-Abt
- Institute of Hematology, University Hospital Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Walter P. Weber
- Department of Surgery, University Hospital Basel, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Savas D. Soysal
- Department of Surgery, University Hospital Basel, Basel, Switzerland
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10
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Guo Q, Betts C, Pennock N, Mitchell E, Schedin P. Mammary Gland Involution Provides a Unique Model to Study the TGF-β Cancer Paradox. J Clin Med 2017; 6:jcm6010010. [PMID: 28098775 PMCID: PMC5294963 DOI: 10.3390/jcm6010010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/13/2016] [Revised: 12/21/2016] [Accepted: 12/27/2016] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Transforming Growth Factor-β (TGF-β) signaling in cancer has been termed the “TGF-β paradox”, acting as both a tumor suppresser and promoter. The complexity of TGF-β signaling within the tumor is context dependent, and greatly impacted by cellular crosstalk between TGF-β responsive cells in the microenvironment including adjacent epithelial, endothelial, mesenchymal, and hematopoietic cells. Here we utilize normal, weaning-induced mammary gland involution as a tissue microenvironment model to study the complexity of TGF-β function. This article reviews facets of mammary gland involution that are TGF-β regulated, namely mammary epithelial cell death, immune activation, and extracellular matrix remodeling. We outline how distinct cellular responses and crosstalk between cell types during physiologically normal mammary gland involution contribute to simultaneous tumor suppressive and promotional microenvironments. We also highlight alternatives to direct TGF-β blocking anti-cancer therapies with an emphasis on eliciting concerted microenvironmental-mediated tumor suppression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qiuchen Guo
- Department of Cell, Developmental and Cancer Biology, Oregon Health and Science University, Portland, OR 97239, USA.
| | - Courtney Betts
- Department of Cell, Developmental and Cancer Biology, Oregon Health and Science University, Portland, OR 97239, USA.
| | - Nathan Pennock
- Department of Cell, Developmental and Cancer Biology, Oregon Health and Science University, Portland, OR 97239, USA.
| | - Elizabeth Mitchell
- Department of Cell, Developmental and Cancer Biology, Oregon Health and Science University, Portland, OR 97239, USA.
| | - Pepper Schedin
- Department of Cell, Developmental and Cancer Biology, Oregon Health and Science University, Portland, OR 97239, USA.
- Young Women's Breast Cancer Translational Program, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO 80045, USA.
- Knight Cancer Institute, Oregon Health and Science University, Portland, OR 97239, USA.
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11
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Shawky MS, Ricciardelli C, Lord M, Whitelock J, Ferro V, Britt K, Thompson EW. Proteoglycans: Potential Agents in Mammographic Density and the Associated Breast Cancer Risk. J Mammary Gland Biol Neoplasia 2015; 20:121-31. [PMID: 26501889 DOI: 10.1007/s10911-015-9346-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/11/2015] [Accepted: 10/16/2015] [Indexed: 12/28/2022] Open
Abstract
Although increased mammographic density (MD) has been well established as a marker for increased breast cancer (BC) risk, its pathobiology is far from understood. Altered proteoglycan (PG) composition may underpin the physical properties of MD, and may contribute to the associated increase in BC risk. Numerous studies have investigated PGs, which are a major stromal matrix component, in relation to MD and BC and reported results that are sometimes discordant. Our review summarises these results and highlights discrepancies between PG associations with BC and MD, thus serving as a guide for identifying PGs that warrant further research towards developing chemo-preventive or therapeutic agents targeting preinvasive or invasive breast lesions, respectively.
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12
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Hilton HN, Doan TB, Graham JD, Oakes SR, Silvestri A, Santucci N, Kantimm S, Huschtscha LI, Ormandy CJ, Funder JW, Simpson ER, Kuczek ES, Leedman PJ, Tilley WD, Fuller PJ, Muscat GEO, Clarke CL. Acquired convergence of hormone signaling in breast cancer: ER and PR transition from functionally distinct in normal breast to predictors of metastatic disease. Oncotarget 2015; 5:8651-64. [PMID: 25261374 PMCID: PMC4226711 DOI: 10.18632/oncotarget.2354] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Cumulative exposure to estrogen (E) and progesterone (P) over the menstrual cycle significantly influences the risk of developing breast cancer. Despite the dogma that PR in the breast merely serves as a marker of an active estrogen receptor (ER), and as an inhibitor of the proliferative actions of E, it is now clear that in the breast P increases proliferation independently of E action. We show here that the progesterone receptor (PR) and ER are expressed in different epithelial populations, and target non-overlapping pathways in the normal human breast. In breast cancer, PR becomes highly correlated with ER, and this convergence is associated with signaling pathways predictive of disease metastasis. These data challenge the established paradigm that ER and PR function co-operatively in normal breast, and have significant implications not only for our understanding of normal breast biology, but also for diagnosis, prognosis and/or treatment options in breast cancer patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Heidi N Hilton
- Westmead Millennium Institute, Sydney Medical School - Westmead, University of Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Tram B Doan
- Westmead Millennium Institute, Sydney Medical School - Westmead, University of Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - J Dinny Graham
- Westmead Millennium Institute, Sydney Medical School - Westmead, University of Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Samantha R Oakes
- Cancer Research Program and The Kinghorn Cancer Centre, Garvan Institute of Medical Research, Darlinghurst, NSW, Australia. St Vincent's Clinical School, St Vincent's Hospital and University of New South Wales, Darlinghurst NSW, Australia
| | - Audrey Silvestri
- Westmead Millennium Institute, Sydney Medical School - Westmead, University of Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Nicole Santucci
- Westmead Millennium Institute, Sydney Medical School - Westmead, University of Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Silke Kantimm
- Westmead Millennium Institute, Sydney Medical School - Westmead, University of Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Lily I Huschtscha
- Children's Medical Research Institute, Westmead, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Christopher J Ormandy
- Cancer Research Program and The Kinghorn Cancer Centre, Garvan Institute of Medical Research, Darlinghurst, NSW, Australia. St Vincent's Clinical School, St Vincent's Hospital and University of New South Wales, Darlinghurst NSW, Australia
| | | | | | | | - Peter J Leedman
- Laboratory for Cancer Medicine, Centre for Medical Research, Western Australian Institute for Medical Research and School of Medicine and Pharmacology, the University of Western Australia, Perth, Western Australia, Australia
| | - Wayne D Tilley
- Dame Roma Mitchell Cancer Research Laboratories, Discipline of Medicine, Hanson Institute, University of Adelaide, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia
| | | | - George E O Muscat
- Institute for Molecular Bioscience, University of Queensland, St. Lucia, Queensland, Australia
| | - Christine L Clarke
- Westmead Millennium Institute, Sydney Medical School - Westmead, University of Sydney, NSW, Australia
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Hilton HN, Clarke CL. Impact of progesterone on stem/progenitor cells in the human breast. J Mammary Gland Biol Neoplasia 2015; 20:27-37. [PMID: 26254191 DOI: 10.1007/s10911-015-9339-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/31/2015] [Accepted: 07/30/2015] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
The epithelium of the human breast is made up of a branching ductal-lobular system, which is lined by a single layer of luminal cells surrounded by a contractile basal cell layer. The co-ordinated development of stem/progenitor cells into these luminal and basal cells is fundamentally important for breast morphogenesis. The ovarian steroid hormone, progesterone, is critical in driving proliferation and normal breast development, yet progesterone analogues have also been shown to be a major driver of breast cancer risk. Studies in recent years have revealed an important role for progesterone in stimulating the mammary stem cell compartment in the mouse mammary gland, and growing evidence supports the notion that progesterone also stimulates progenitor cells in both the normal human breast and in breast cancer cells. As changes in cell type composition are one of the hallmark features of breast cancer progression, these observations have critical implications in discerning the mechanisms of how progesterone increases breast cancer risk. This review summarises recent work regarding the impact of progesterone action on the stem/progenitor cell compartment of the human breast.
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Affiliation(s)
- Heidi N Hilton
- Centre for Cancer Research, Westmead Millennium Institute, University of Sydney Medical School, Westmead, NSW, Australia.
| | - Christine L Clarke
- Centre for Cancer Research, Westmead Millennium Institute, University of Sydney Medical School, Westmead, NSW, Australia
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14
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Breast Cancer Prevention: Lessons to be Learned from Mechanisms of Early Pregnancy–Mediated Breast Cancer Protection. Cancer Res 2015; 75:803-7. [DOI: 10.1158/0008-5472.can-14-2717] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
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