Article
Oncology
Chandler R. Keller, Yang Hu, Kelsey F. Ruud, Anika E. VanDeen, Steve R. Martinez, Barry T. Kahn, Zhiwu Zhang, Roland K. Chen, Weimin Li
Summary: The study identified the structural and mechanical properties of human normal breast and invasive ductal carcinoma tissue ECM, successfully generating a protein hydrogel using whole protein extracts of human normal breast ECM. This work advances towards full reconstitution of the human breast tissue microenvironment, potentially accelerating individualized biomedical research and therapeutic development.
Article
Oncology
Manish Ranjan, Oukseub Lee, Gannon Cottone, Elnaz Mirzaei Mehrabad, Benjamin T. Spike, Zexian Zeng, Shivangi Yadav, Robert Chatterton, J. Julie Kim, Susan E. Clare, Seema A. Khan
Summary: Research in mouse model shows that exposure to progesterone leads to an increase in mammary stem cells and luminal mature cells, while reducing luminal progenitor cells. However, these effects can be reversed by progesterone receptor antagonists.
BREAST CANCER RESEARCH
(2021)
Article
Engineering, Biomedical
Mouhita Humayun, Jose M. Ayuso, Raven A. Brenneke, Maria Virumbrales-Munoz, Karina Lugo-Cintron, Sheena Kerr, Suzanne M. Ponik, David J. Beebe
Summary: In cancer metastasis, tumor cells exit the bloodstream by crossing the endothelium and engaging in crosstalk with other active players, leading to changes in functional behavior. Upregulated secretion of factors from cancer-vascular interactions affects the invasive/metastatic potential of breast cancer cells. Therapeutic inhibitors were used to assess the independent and combined role of multiple signaling factors on promoting extravasation in cancer metastasis.
Article
Biology
Kohei Saeki, Gregory Chang, Noriko Kanaya, Xiwei Wu, Jinhui Wang, Lauren Bernal, Desiree Ha, Susan L. Neuhausen, Shiuan Chen
Summary: The study presents an integrated mammary cell gene expression atlas derived from mouse and human single-cell RNA-sequence data, characterizing key life stages of mammary gland remodeling and inferring cells of origin for various breast cancer subtypes using breast cancer expression data.
COMMUNICATIONS BIOLOGY
(2021)
Review
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Mellisa Renteria, Ofek Belkin, Justin Aickareth, David Jang, Majd Hawwar, Jun Zhang
Summary: It is well-known that zinc concentrations are altered in breast cancer patients, with notable zinc hyper-aggregates in breast tumor cells compared to normal cells. However, the mechanisms of zinc accumulation and the consequences of dysregulation are poorly understood. In this review, the authors explore the relationship between cellular zinc regulation/dysregulation, sex steroids, and breast cancer tumorigenesis, with a focus on the CmPn/CmP signaling network.
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Lucie Malbeteau, Julien Jacquemetton, Cecile Languilaire, Laura Corbo, Muriel Le Romancer, Coralie Poulard
Summary: The progesterone receptor (PR) plays a crucial role in women's physiological and pathological responses, especially in breast cancer development. It has been found that the hormone-free form of PR is involved in maintaining the stability of breast cancer cells under hormone-depleted conditions. In this study, the researchers identified PRMT1 as a novel player in the signaling of unliganded PR.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF MOLECULAR SCIENCES
(2022)
Article
Oncology
Riley J. Morrow, Amr H. Allam, Belinda Yeo, Siddhartha Deb, Carmel Murone, Elgene Lim, Cameron N. Johnstone, Matthias Ernst
Summary: This study uncovers a novel mechanism where IL-6 and its associated STAT3 signaling pathway stimulate proliferation between sub-clones in inflammatory breast cancer. The sensitivity of IL-6 responsive sub-clones to Tocilizumab suggests a potential therapeutic strategy for a subset of patients with this aggressive form of breast cancer.
Article
Oncology
David R. Soto-Pantoja, Mohamed Gaber, Alana A. Arnone, Steven M. Bronson, Nildris Cruz-Diaz, Adam S. Wilson, Kenysha Y. J. Clear, Manuel U. Ramirez, Gregory L. Kucera, Edward A. Levine, Sophie A. Lelievre, Lesley Chaboub, Akiko Chiba, Hariom Yadav, Pierre-Alexandre Vidi, Katherine L. Cook
Summary: This study reveals a connection between gut and breast microbiomes that mediate the impact of diet on breast cancer. Altering gut microbiota through fecal transplants influenced mammary tumor outcomes, suggesting a potential link between dietary effects and cancer progression. Additionally, microbiome modulation by oral interventions may offer a new strategy for managing breast cancer.
Review
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Mariam Rusidze, Marine Adlanmerini, Elodie Chantalat, I. Raymond-Letron, Surya Cayre, Jean-Francois Arnal, Marie-Ange Deugnier, Francoise Lenfant
Summary: This review discusses the role of ER alpha in mammary gland development and breast cancer progression, highlighting both the classical nuclear genomic and membrane non-genomic actions of ER alpha in regulating mammary development at different stages. It also provides an overview of the characteristics of luminal cell lineage expressing ER alpha and the impact of ER alpha signaling in transgenic mouse models, emphasizing its pivotal role in mammary gland morphogenesis and function as well as its implication in tumorigenesis. Additionally, the review covers the main features of ER alpha-positive luminal breast cancers and their modeling in mice.
CELLULAR AND MOLECULAR LIFE SCIENCES
(2021)
Article
Endocrinology & Metabolism
Darcy E. Kahn, Bryan C. Bergman
Summary: Alterations in adipose tissue composition and function are associated with obesity and type 2 diabetes. Recent studies highlight the importance of considering anatomically discrete adipose depots for their specific impact on neighboring tissues and whole-body physiology.
Article
Gastroenterology & Hepatology
Cindy Lobe, Marie Vallette, Ander Arbelaiz, Ester Gonzalez-Sanchez, Laura Izquierdo, Anna Pellat, Nathalie Guedj, Corentin Louis, Valerie Paradis, Jesus M. Banales, Cedric Coulouarn, Chantal Housset, Javier Vaquero, Laura Fouassier
Summary: The transcription factor ZEB1 plays a crucial role in the progression of cholangiocarcinoma by regulating the crosstalk between tumor cells and cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs), leading to tumor dedifferentiation and CAF activation. In vitro and in vivo experiments demonstrated that ZEB1 promotes epithelial-mesenchymal transition and stemness in tumor cells, as well as inducing myofibroblast proliferation through the upregulation of connective tissue growth factor (CTGF). The study also found that ZEB1 controls the expression of paracrine signals such as HGF and IL6 in both tumor cells and myofibroblasts.
Article
Materials Science, Multidisciplinary
Yutong Chen, Yuzhe Liu, Jiaxin Zhang, He Liu, Jincheng Wang, Qiran Liu, Yan Zhang
Summary: Breast reconstruction is crucial for mental health, current methods have limitations, and 3D bioprinting technology shows promise as an alternative solution.
MATERIALS & DESIGN
(2021)
Article
Medicine, Research & Experimental
Irene Bertolini, Michela Perego, Yulia Nefedova, Cindy Lin, Andrew Milcarek, Peter Vogel, Jagadish C. Ghosh, Andrew Kossenkov, Dario C. Altieri
Summary: Invasive breast cancer cells exposed to hypoxia release sEVs that disrupt normal mammary epithelia and promote atypical hyperplasia and neoplasia. These sEVs induce systemic immunosuppression and oncogenic traits, accelerating bilateral breast cancer progression. Targeting HIF1 alpha in sEVs or deleting S100A9 can restore mammary gland differentiation and prevent hyperplasia. The presence of HIF1 alpha in plasma sEVs is a potential biomarker for luminal breast cancer recurrence.
JOURNAL OF CLINICAL INVESTIGATION
(2023)
Review
Cell Biology
Elizabeth K. Johnston, Rosalyn D. Abbott
Summary: Obesity is a growing problem, with a significant number of Americans being obese or morbidly obese. Tissue remodeling and changes in cellular populations and phenotypes occur as a result of pathological tissue expansion. This leads to local and systemic effects, including diabetes and cardiovascular disease. Vascular dynamics play a role in metabolic dysfunction during obesity progression. This review focuses on paracrine, autocrine, and matrix-dependent signaling between adipocytes and endothelial cells in the development and progression of obesity and related diseases.
Article
Public, Environmental & Occupational Health
Ruan Gabriel Soares da Silva, Mariane Okamoto Ferreira, Isabella Mitsu Suo Komori, Henrique Rodrigues Menezes Oliveira, Murilo Galvani Machado, Julia Fernandes Gois Orrutea, Fernanda Mara Alves, Hellen dos Santos Jaques, Janaina Carla da Silva, Janoario Athanazio de Souza, Daniel Rech, Carolina Panis
Summary: Studies have shown a high incidence of various tumors, including breast cancer, in populations exposed to pesticides. This exposure is not only associated with direct DNA damage but also with epigenetic modifications and inflammation mediators, indicating genomic instability. The present study analyzed the inflammatory changes in the breast tissue of occupationally exposed women without cancer and found an inflammatory signature associated with pesticide exposure, which may trigger genetic mutations and breast carcinogenesis.
FRONTIERS IN PUBLIC HEALTH
(2023)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Dalya Ataca, Patrick Aouad, Celine Constantin, Csaba Laszlo, Manfred Beleut, Marie Shamseddin, Renuga Devi Rajaram, Rachel Jeitziner, Timothy J. Mead, Marian Caikovski, Philipp Bucher, Giovanna Ambrosini, Suneel S. Apte, Cathrin Brisken
NATURE COMMUNICATIONS
(2020)
Article
Oncology
Rasmus Siersbaek, Valentina Scabia, Sankari Nagarajan, Igor Chernukhin, Evangelia K. Papachristou, Rebecca Broome, Simon J. Johnston, Stacey Ep Joosten, Andrew R. Green, Sanjeev Kumar, Julia Jones, Soleilmane Omarjee, Ruben Alvarez-Fernandez, Silvia Glont, Sarah J. Aitken, Kamal Kishore, Danya Cheeseman, Emad A. Rakha, Clive D'Santos, Wilbert Zwart, Alasdair Russell, Cathrin Brisken, Jason S. Carroll
Article
Medicine, Research & Experimental
Claudia Koch, Andra Kuske, Simon A. Joosse, Goekhan Yigit, George Sflomos, Sonja Thaler, Daniel J. Smit, Stefan Werner, Kerstin Borgmann, Sebastian Gaertner, Parinaz Mossahebi Mohammadi, Laura Battista, Laure Cayrefourcq, Janine Altmueller, Gabriela Salinas-Riester, Kaamini Raithatha, Arne Zibat, Yvonne Goy, Leonie Ott, Kai Bartkowiak, Tuan Zea Tan, Qing Zhou, Michael R. Speicher, Volkmar Mueller, Tobias M. Gorges, Manfred Juecker, Jean-Paul Thiery, Cathrin Brisken, Sabine Riethdorf, Catherine Alix-Panabieres, Klaus Pantel
EMBO MOLECULAR MEDICINE
(2020)
Article
Oncology
Ana Luisa Cartaxo, Marta F. Estrada, Giacomo Domenici, Ruben Roque, Fernanda Silva, Emilio J. Gualda, Pablo Loza-Alvarez, George Sflomos, Cathrin Brisken, Paula M. Alves, Saudade Andre, Catarina Brito
JOURNAL OF EXPERIMENTAL & CLINICAL CANCER RESEARCH
(2020)
Article
Medicine, Research & Experimental
George Sflomos, Laura Battista, Patrick Aouad, Fabio De Martino, Valentina Scabia, Athina Stravodimou, Ayyakkannu Ayyanan, Assia Ifticene-Treboux, Philipp Bucher, Maryse Fiche, Giovanna Ambrosini, Cathrin Brisken
Summary: Invasive lobular carcinoma (ILC) is a common subtype of breast cancer characterized by loss of E-cadherin. This study used mouse models to recapitulate ILC, identifying extracellular matrix modulation as a intrinsic trait of lobular carcinoma cells. Inhibition of LOXL1 shows potential as a therapeutic strategy for ILC by disrupting ECM structure and decreasing tumor growth, invasion, and metastasis.
EMBO MOLECULAR MEDICINE
(2021)
Article
Medicine, Research & Experimental
Marie Shamseddin, Fabio De Martino, Celine Constantin, Valentina Scabia, Anne-Sophie Lancelot, Csaba Laszlo, Ayyakkannu Ayyannan, Laura Battista, Wassim Raffoul, Marie-Christine Gailloud-Matthieu, Philipp Bucher, Maryse Fiche, Giovanna Ambrosini, George Sflomos, Cathrin Brisken
Summary: The study found that different progestins have varied effects on breast epithelial cell proliferation, thereby influencing breast cancer risk. Androgenic progestins promote cell proliferation, while anti-androgenic progestins do not. These findings can help make more informed choices in hormonal contraception.
EMBO MOLECULAR MEDICINE
(2021)
Review
Oncology
George Sflomos, Koen Schipper, Thijs Koorman, Amanda Fitzpatrick, Steffi Oesterreich, Adrian V. Lee, Jos Jonkers, Valerie G. Brunton, Matthias Christgen, Clare Isacke, Patrick W. B. Derksen, Cathrin Brisken
Summary: Invasive lobular carcinoma (ILC) is the second most common histological subtype of invasive breast cancer, accounting for up to 15% of all cases. Despite responding well to endocrine treatment when estrogen receptor alpha-positive (ER+), it differs in biological aspects from other ER+ subtypes. Current advances in ILC modeling include cell lines, organotypic models, genetically engineered mouse models, and patient-derived xenografts, addressing critical challenges such as drug resistance, the tumor microenvironment, tumor dormancy, and metastasis. The European Lobular Breast Cancer Consortium (ELBCC) focuses on understanding and translating molecular cues underlying ILC to clinical diagnosis and intervention, providing essential considerations for researchers considering the implementation of ILC models.
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Valentina Scabia, Ayyakkannu Ayyanan, Fabio De Martino, Andrea Agnoletto, Laura Battista, Csaba Laszlo, Assia Treboux, Khalil Zaman, Athina Stravodimou, Didier Jallut, Maryse Fiche, Philip Bucher, Giovanna Ambrosini, George Sflomos, Cathrin Brisken
Summary: This study investigates the interplay between progesterone receptor (PR) and estrogen receptor (ER) in breast cancer, and finds that PR can have an ER-independent role in breast cancer growth and metastasis, with its effects being dependent on MYC and androgen receptor signatures.
NATURE COMMUNICATIONS
(2022)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Patrick Aouad, Yueyun Zhang, Fabio De Martino, Celine Stibolt, Simak Ali, Giovanna Ambrosini, Sendurai A. Mani, Kelly Maggs, Hazel M. Quinn, George Sflomos, Cathrin Brisken
Summary: This study provides a new method to study the dormant state of estrogen receptor alpha-positive breast cancer (ER+ BC) and reveals the underlying mechanisms. The researchers found that disseminated ER+ BC cells proliferate slower and exhibit characteristics of epithelial-mesenchymal plasticity, which are crucial for maintaining the dormant state. They also discovered that forced expression of E-cadherin allows ER+ BC cells to overcome dormancy.
NATURE COMMUNICATIONS
(2022)
Editorial Material
Oncology
Carlos Ronchi, Cathrin Brisken
Summary: The presurgical window of opportunity trial (WOT) MIPRA suggests that neoadjuvant treatment with the progesterone receptor (PR) antagonist mifepristone (RU486) may be beneficial for patients with estrogen receptor-positive (ER+) breast cancer, especially those with a high PR-A to PR-B isoform ratio (>1.5), indicating that targeting PR may be effective in a subset of patients.
CLINICAL CANCER RESEARCH
(2023)
Article
Oncology
George Sflomos, Nora Schaumann, Matthias Christgen, Henriette Christgen, Stephan Bartels, Hans Kreipe, Laura Battista, Cathrin Brisken
Summary: Invasive lobular carcinoma (ILC) is a common subtype of breast cancer, often diagnosed at advanced stages. Up to 30% of ILC patients experience relapse, posing a treatment challenge. To address this, we have created a new in vivo model for ILC by grafting triple-negative human cancer cells into mice, which accurately recapitulates the different stages of ILC and provides a valuable tool for preclinical studies on TN ILC.