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Balog JÁ, Horti-Oravecz K, Kövesdi D, Bozsik A, Papp J, Butz H, Patócs A, Szebeni GJ, Grolmusz VK. Peripheral immunophenotyping reveals lymphocyte stimulation in healthy women living with hereditary breast and ovarian cancer syndrome. iScience 2024; 27:109882. [PMID: 38799565 PMCID: PMC11126817 DOI: 10.1016/j.isci.2024.109882] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/07/2023] [Revised: 03/11/2024] [Accepted: 04/30/2024] [Indexed: 05/29/2024] Open
Abstract
Germline pathogenic variants in BRCA1 and BRCA2 (gpath(BRCA1/2)) represent genetic susceptibility for hereditary breast and ovarian cancer syndrome. Tumor-immune interactions are key contributors to breast cancer pathogenesis. Although earlier studies confirmed pro-tumorigenic immunological alterations in breast cancer patients, data are lacking in healthy carriers of gpath(BRCA1/2). Peripheral blood mononuclear cells of 66 women with or without germline predisposition or breast cancer were studied with a mass cytometry panel that identified 4 immune subpopulations of altered frequencies between healthy controls and healthy gpath(BRCA1) carriers, while no difference was observed in healthy gpath(BRCA2) carriers compared to controls. Moreover, 3 (one IgD-CD27+CD95+ B cell subpopulation and two CD45RA-CCR7+CD38+ CD4+ T cell subpopulations) out of these 4 subpopulations were also elevated in triple-negative breast cancer patients compared to controls. Our results reveal an activated peripheral immune phenotype in healthy carriers of gpath(BRCA1) that needs to be further elucidated to be leveraged in risk-reducing strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- József Ágoston Balog
- Institute of Genetics, Laboratory of Functional Genomics, HUN-REN Biological Research Center, 6726 Szeged, Hungary
- Core Facility, HUN-REN Biological Research Center, 6726 Szeged, Hungary
| | - Klaudia Horti-Oravecz
- Department of Molecular Genetics and the National Tumorbiology Laboratory, National Institute of Oncology, Comprehensive Cancer Center, 1122 Budapest, Hungary
- Semmelweis University, Doctoral School, 1085 Budapest, Hungary
| | - Dorottya Kövesdi
- Department of Immunology, Eötvös Loránd University, 1117 Budapest, Hungary
| | - Anikó Bozsik
- Department of Molecular Genetics and the National Tumorbiology Laboratory, National Institute of Oncology, Comprehensive Cancer Center, 1122 Budapest, Hungary
- HUN-REN-SE Hereditary Cancers Research Group, Hungarian Research Network – Semmelweis University, 1122 Budapest, Hungary
| | - Janos Papp
- Department of Molecular Genetics and the National Tumorbiology Laboratory, National Institute of Oncology, Comprehensive Cancer Center, 1122 Budapest, Hungary
- HUN-REN-SE Hereditary Cancers Research Group, Hungarian Research Network – Semmelweis University, 1122 Budapest, Hungary
| | - Henriett Butz
- Department of Molecular Genetics and the National Tumorbiology Laboratory, National Institute of Oncology, Comprehensive Cancer Center, 1122 Budapest, Hungary
- HUN-REN-SE Hereditary Cancers Research Group, Hungarian Research Network – Semmelweis University, 1122 Budapest, Hungary
- Department of Oncology Biobank, National Institute of Oncology, Comprehensive Cancer Center, 1122 Budapest, Hungary
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Semmelweis University, 1089 Budapest, Hungary
| | - Attila Patócs
- Department of Molecular Genetics and the National Tumorbiology Laboratory, National Institute of Oncology, Comprehensive Cancer Center, 1122 Budapest, Hungary
- HUN-REN-SE Hereditary Cancers Research Group, Hungarian Research Network – Semmelweis University, 1122 Budapest, Hungary
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Semmelweis University, 1089 Budapest, Hungary
| | - Gábor János Szebeni
- Institute of Genetics, Laboratory of Functional Genomics, HUN-REN Biological Research Center, 6726 Szeged, Hungary
- Core Facility, HUN-REN Biological Research Center, 6726 Szeged, Hungary
- Department of Internal Medicine, Hematology Centre, Faculty of Medicine University of Szeged, 6725 Szeged, Hungary
| | - Vince Kornél Grolmusz
- Department of Molecular Genetics and the National Tumorbiology Laboratory, National Institute of Oncology, Comprehensive Cancer Center, 1122 Budapest, Hungary
- HUN-REN-SE Hereditary Cancers Research Group, Hungarian Research Network – Semmelweis University, 1122 Budapest, Hungary
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Semmelweis University, 1089 Budapest, Hungary
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2
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Arumugam M, Tovar EA, Essenburg CJ, Dischinger PS, Beddows I, Wolfrum E, Madaj ZB, Turner L, Feenstra K, Gallik KL, Cohen L, Nichols M, Sheridan RTC, Esquibel CR, Mouneimne G, Graveel CR, Steensma MR. Nf1 deficiency modulates the stromal environment in the pretumorigenic rat mammary gland. Front Cell Dev Biol 2024; 12:1375441. [PMID: 38799507 PMCID: PMC11116614 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2024.1375441] [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: 01/23/2024] [Accepted: 04/17/2024] [Indexed: 05/29/2024] Open
Abstract
Background Neurofibromin, coded by the NF1 tumor suppressor gene, is the main negative regulator of the RAS pathway and is frequently mutated in various cancers. Women with Neurofibromatosis Type I (NF1)-a tumor predisposition syndrome caused by a germline NF1 mutation-have an increased risk of developing aggressive breast cancer with poorer prognosis. The mechanism by which NF1 mutations lead to breast cancer tumorigenesis is not well understood. Therefore, the objective of this work was to identify stromal alterations before tumor formation that result in the increased risk and poorer outcome seen among NF1 patients with breast cancer. Approach To accurately model the germline monoallelic NF1 mutations in NF1 patients, we utilized an Nf1-deficient rat model with accelerated mammary development before presenting with highly penetrant breast cancer. Results We identified increased collagen content in Nf1-deficient rat mammary glands before tumor formation that correlated with age of tumor onset. Additionally, gene expression analysis revealed that Nf1-deficient mature adipocytes in the rat mammary gland have increased collagen expression and shifted to a fibroblast and preadipocyte expression profile. This alteration in lineage commitment was also observed with in vitro differentiation, however, flow cytometry analysis did not show a change in mammary adipose-derived mesenchymal stem cell abundance. Conclusion Collectively, this study uncovered the previously undescribed role of Nf1 in mammary collagen deposition and regulating adipocyte differentiation. In addition to unraveling the mechanism of tumor formation, further investigation of adipocytes and collagen modifications in preneoplastic mammary glands will create a foundation for developing early detection strategies of breast cancer among NF1 patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Menusha Arumugam
- Department of Cell Biology, Van Andel Research Institute, Grand Rapids, MI, United States
| | - Elizabeth A. Tovar
- Department of Cell Biology, Van Andel Research Institute, Grand Rapids, MI, United States
| | - Curt J. Essenburg
- Department of Cell Biology, Van Andel Research Institute, Grand Rapids, MI, United States
| | - Patrick S. Dischinger
- Department of Cell Biology, Van Andel Research Institute, Grand Rapids, MI, United States
| | - Ian Beddows
- Biostatistics ad Bioinformatics Core, Van Andel Research Institute, Grand Rapids, MI, United States
| | - Emily Wolfrum
- Biostatistics ad Bioinformatics Core, Van Andel Research Institute, Grand Rapids, MI, United States
| | - Zach B. Madaj
- Biostatistics ad Bioinformatics Core, Van Andel Research Institute, Grand Rapids, MI, United States
| | - Lisa Turner
- Pathology and Biorepository Core, Van Andel Research Institute, Grand Rapids, MI, United States
| | - Kristin Feenstra
- Pathology and Biorepository Core, Van Andel Research Institute, Grand Rapids, MI, United States
| | - Kristin L. Gallik
- Optical Imaging Core, Van Andel Research Institute, Grand Rapids, MI, United States
| | - Lorna Cohen
- Optical Imaging Core, Van Andel Research Institute, Grand Rapids, MI, United States
| | - Madison Nichols
- Flow Cytometry Core, Van Andel Research Institute, Grand Rapids, MI, United States
| | | | - Corinne R. Esquibel
- Optical Imaging Core, Van Andel Research Institute, Grand Rapids, MI, United States
| | - Ghassan Mouneimne
- University of Arizona Cancer Center, Tucson, AZ, United States
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ, United States
| | - Carrie R. Graveel
- Department of Cell Biology, Van Andel Research Institute, Grand Rapids, MI, United States
| | - Matthew R. Steensma
- Department of Cell Biology, Van Andel Research Institute, Grand Rapids, MI, United States
- Helen DeVos Children’s Hospital, Spectrum Health System, Grand Rapids, MI, United States
- Michigan State University College of Human Medicine, Grand Rapids, MI, United States
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3
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Reed AD, Pensa S, Steif A, Stenning J, Kunz DJ, Porter LJ, Hua K, He P, Twigger AJ, Siu AJQ, Kania K, Barrow-McGee R, Goulding I, Gomm JJ, Speirs V, Jones JL, Marioni JC, Khaled WT. A single-cell atlas enables mapping of homeostatic cellular shifts in the adult human breast. Nat Genet 2024; 56:652-662. [PMID: 38548988 PMCID: PMC11018528 DOI: 10.1038/s41588-024-01688-9] [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] [Received: 03/28/2023] [Accepted: 02/09/2024] [Indexed: 04/17/2024]
Abstract
Here we use single-cell RNA sequencing to compile a human breast cell atlas assembled from 55 donors that had undergone reduction mammoplasties or risk reduction mastectomies. From more than 800,000 cells we identified 41 cell subclusters across the epithelial, immune and stromal compartments. The contribution of these different clusters varied according to the natural history of the tissue. Age, parity and germline mutations, known to modulate the risk of developing breast cancer, affected the homeostatic cellular state of the breast in different ways. We found that immune cells from BRCA1 or BRCA2 carriers had a distinct gene expression signature indicative of potential immune exhaustion, which was validated by immunohistochemistry. This suggests that immune-escape mechanisms could manifest in non-cancerous tissues very early during tumor initiation. This atlas is a rich resource that can be used to inform novel approaches for early detection and prevention of breast cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Austin D Reed
- Department of Pharmacology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
- Wellcome-MRC Cambridge Stem Cell Institute, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
| | - Sara Pensa
- Department of Pharmacology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
- Wellcome-MRC Cambridge Stem Cell Institute, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
| | - Adi Steif
- CRUK, Cambridge Institute, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
| | - Jack Stenning
- Department of Pharmacology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
- Wellcome-MRC Cambridge Stem Cell Institute, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
| | | | - Linsey J Porter
- Department of Pharmacology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
- Wellcome-MRC Cambridge Stem Cell Institute, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
| | - Kui Hua
- CRUK, Cambridge Institute, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
| | - Peng He
- EMBL European Bioinformatics Institute, Hinxton, UK
- Sanger Institute, Hinxton, UK
| | - Alecia-Jane Twigger
- Department of Pharmacology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
- Wellcome-MRC Cambridge Stem Cell Institute, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
| | - Abigail J Q Siu
- Department of Pharmacology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
- Wellcome-MRC Cambridge Stem Cell Institute, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
| | - Katarzyna Kania
- CRUK, Cambridge Institute, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
| | - Rachel Barrow-McGee
- Breast Cancer Now Tissue Bank, Centre for Tumour Biology, Barts Cancer Institute, John Vane Science Centre, Queen Mary University of London, London, UK
| | - Iain Goulding
- Breast Cancer Now Tissue Bank, Centre for Tumour Biology, Barts Cancer Institute, John Vane Science Centre, Queen Mary University of London, London, UK
| | - Jennifer J Gomm
- Breast Cancer Now Tissue Bank, Centre for Tumour Biology, Barts Cancer Institute, John Vane Science Centre, Queen Mary University of London, London, UK
| | - Valerie Speirs
- Institute of Medical Sciences, University of Aberdeen, Aberdeen, UK
- Aberdeen Cancer Centre, Aberdeen, UK
| | - J Louise Jones
- Breast Cancer Now Tissue Bank, Centre for Tumour Biology, Barts Cancer Institute, John Vane Science Centre, Queen Mary University of London, London, UK
| | - John C Marioni
- CRUK, Cambridge Institute, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK.
- EMBL European Bioinformatics Institute, Hinxton, UK.
- Sanger Institute, Hinxton, UK.
- Genentech, San Francisco, CA, USA.
| | - Walid T Khaled
- Department of Pharmacology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK.
- Wellcome-MRC Cambridge Stem Cell Institute, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK.
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4
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Caputo A, Vipparthi K, Bazeley P, Downs-Kelly E, McIntire P, Duckworth LA, Ni Y, Hu B, Keri RA, Karaayvaz M. Spatial Transcriptomics Suggests That Alterations Occur in the Preneoplastic Breast Microenvironment of BRCA1/2 Mutation Carriers. Mol Cancer Res 2024; 22:169-180. [PMID: 37878345 PMCID: PMC10872731 DOI: 10.1158/1541-7786.mcr-23-0489] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/19/2023] [Revised: 08/28/2023] [Accepted: 10/23/2023] [Indexed: 10/26/2023]
Abstract
Breast cancer is the most common cancer in females, affecting one in every eight women and accounting for the majority of cancer-related deaths in women worldwide. Germline mutations in the BRCA1 and BRCA2 genes are significant risk factors for specific subtypes of breast cancer. BRCA1 mutations are associated with basal-like breast cancers, whereas BRCA2 mutations are associated with luminal-like disease. Defects in mammary epithelial cell differentiation have been previously recognized in germline BRCA1/2 mutation carriers even before cancer incidence. However, the underlying mechanism is largely unknown. Here, we employ spatial transcriptomics to investigate defects in mammary epithelial cell differentiation accompanied by distinct microenvironmental alterations in preneoplastic breast tissues from BRCA1/2 mutation carriers and normal breast tissues from noncarrier controls. We uncovered spatially defined receptor-ligand interactions in these tissues for the investigation of autocrine and paracrine signaling. We discovered that β1-integrin-mediated autocrine signaling in BRCA2-deficient mammary epithelial cells may differ from BRCA1-deficient mammary epithelial cells. In addition, we found that the epithelial-to-stromal paracrine signaling in the breast tissues of BRCA1/2 mutation carriers is greater than in control tissues. More integrin-ligand pairs were differentially correlated in BRCA1/2-mutant breast tissues than noncarrier breast tissues with more integrin receptor-expressing stromal cells. IMPLICATIONS These results suggest alterations in the communication between mammary epithelial cells and the microenvironment in BRCA1 and BRCA2 mutation carriers, laying the foundation for designing innovative breast cancer chemo-prevention strategies for high-risk patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anthony Caputo
- Genomic Medicine Institute, Lerner Research Institute, Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, OH, USA
| | - Kavya Vipparthi
- Genomic Medicine Institute, Lerner Research Institute, Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, OH, USA
| | - Peter Bazeley
- Department of Quantitative Health Sciences, Lerner Research Institute, Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, OH, USA
| | - Erinn Downs-Kelly
- Department of Pathology, Pathology & Laboratory Medicine Institute, Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, OH, USA
| | - Patrick McIntire
- Department of Pathology, Pathology & Laboratory Medicine Institute, Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, OH, USA
| | - Lauren A. Duckworth
- Department of Pathology, Pathology & Laboratory Medicine Institute, Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, OH, USA
| | - Ying Ni
- Center for Immunotherapy & Precision Immuno-Oncology, Lerner Research Institute, Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, OH, USA
| | - Bo Hu
- Department of Quantitative Health Sciences, Lerner Research Institute, Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, OH, USA
| | - Ruth A. Keri
- Department of Cancer Biology, Lerner Research Institute, Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, OH, USA
- Case Comprehensive Cancer Center, Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine, Cleveland, OH, USA
- Department of Molecular Medicine, Cleveland Clinic Lerner College of Medicine, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH, USA
| | - Mihriban Karaayvaz
- Genomic Medicine Institute, Lerner Research Institute, Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, OH, USA
- Case Comprehensive Cancer Center, Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine, Cleveland, OH, USA
- Department of Molecular Medicine, Cleveland Clinic Lerner College of Medicine, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH, USA
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5
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Bhat-Nakshatri P, Khatpe AS, Chen D, Batic K, Mang H, Herodotou C, McGuire PC, Xuei X, Erdogan C, Gao H, Liu Y, Sandusky G, Storniolo AM, Nakshatri H. Signaling Pathway Alterations Driven by BRCA1 and BRCA2 Germline Mutations are Sufficient to Initiate Breast Tumorigenesis by the PIK3CAH1047R Oncogene. CANCER RESEARCH COMMUNICATIONS 2024; 4:38-54. [PMID: 38059556 PMCID: PMC10774565 DOI: 10.1158/2767-9764.crc-23-0330] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/01/2023] [Revised: 11/09/2023] [Accepted: 12/05/2023] [Indexed: 12/08/2023]
Abstract
Single-cell transcriptomics studies have begun to identify breast epithelial cell and stromal cell specific transcriptome differences between BRCA1/2 mutation carriers and non-carriers. We generated a single-cell transcriptome atlas of breast tissues from BRCA1, BRCA2 mutation carriers and compared this single-cell atlas of mutation carriers with our previously described single-cell breast atlas of healthy non-carriers. We observed that BRCA1 but not BRCA2 mutations altered the ratio between basal (basal-myoepithelial), luminal progenitor (luminal adaptive secretory precursor, LASP), and mature luminal (luminal hormone sensing) cells in breast tissues. A unique subcluster of cells within LASP cells is underrepresented in case of BRCA1 and BRCA2 mutation carriers compared with non-carriers. Both BRCA1 and BRCA2 mutations specifically altered transcriptomes in epithelial cells which are an integral part of NFκB, LARP1, and MYC signaling. Signaling pathway alterations in epithelial cells unique to BRCA1 mutations included STAT3, BRD4, SMARCA4, HIF2A/EPAS1, and Inhibin A signaling. BRCA2 mutations were associated with upregulation of IL6, PDK1, FOXO3, and TNFSF11 signaling. These signaling pathway alterations are sufficient to alter sensitivity of BRCA1/BRCA2-mutant breast epithelial cells to transformation as epithelial cells from BRCA1 mutation carriers overexpressing hTERT + PIK3CAH1047R generated adenocarcinomas, whereas similarly modified mutant BRCA2 cells generated basal carcinomas in NSG mice. Thus, our studies provide a high-resolution transcriptome atlas of breast epithelial cells of BRCA1 and BRCA2 mutation carriers and reveal their susceptibility to PIK3CA mutation-driven transformation. SIGNIFICANCE This study provides a single-cell atlas of breast tissues of BRCA1/2 mutation carriers and demonstrates that aberrant signaling due to BRCA1/2 mutations is sufficient to initiate breast cancer by mutant PIK3CA.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Aditi S. Khatpe
- Department of Surgery, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, Indiana
| | - Duojiao Chen
- Department of Medical and Molecular Genetics, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, Indiana
| | - Katie Batic
- Department of Surgery, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, Indiana
| | - Henry Mang
- Department of Surgery, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, Indiana
| | | | - Patrick C. McGuire
- Department of Medical and Molecular Genetics, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, Indiana
| | - Xiaoling Xuei
- Department of Medical and Molecular Genetics, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, Indiana
| | - Cihat Erdogan
- Department of Medical and Molecular Genetics, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, Indiana
| | - Hongyu Gao
- Department of Medical and Molecular Genetics, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, Indiana
| | - Yunlong Liu
- Department of Medical and Molecular Genetics, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, Indiana
| | - George Sandusky
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, Indiana
| | - Anna Maria Storniolo
- Department of Medicine, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, Indiana
| | - Harikrishna Nakshatri
- Department of Surgery, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, Indiana
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, Indiana
- VA Roudebush Medical Center, Indianapolis, Indiana
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6
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Lee CM, Hwang Y, Jeong JW, Kim M, Lee J, Bae SJ, Ahn SG, Fang S. BRCA1 mutation promotes sprouting angiogenesis in inflammatory cancer-associated fibroblast of triple-negative breast cancer. Cell Death Discov 2024; 10:5. [PMID: 38182557 PMCID: PMC10770063 DOI: 10.1038/s41420-023-01768-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/25/2023] [Revised: 12/02/2023] [Accepted: 12/07/2023] [Indexed: 01/07/2024] Open
Abstract
Triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) is an aggressive breast cancer subtype with inferior outcomes owing to its low treatment response and high invasiveness. Based on abundant cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs) and frequent mutation of breast cancer-associated 1 (BRCA1) in TNBC, the characteristics of CAFs in TNBC patients with BRCA1 mutation compared to wild-type were investigated using single-cell analysis. Intriguingly, we observed that characteristics of inflammatory CAFs (iCAFs) were enriched in patients with BRCA1 mutation compared to the wild-type. iCAFs in patients with BRCA1 mutation exhibited outgoing signals to endothelial cells (ECs) clusters, including chemokine (C-X-C motif) ligand (CXCL) and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF). During CXCL signaling, the atypical chemokine receptor 1 (ACKR1) mainly interacts with CXCL family members in tumor endothelial cells (TECs). ACKR1-high TECs also showed high expression levels of angiogenesis-related genes, such as ANGPT2, MMP1, and SELE, which might lead to EC migration. Furthermore, iCAFs showed VEGF signals for FLT1 and KDR in TECs, which showed high co-expression with tip cell marker genes, including ZEB1 and MAFF, involved in sprouting angiogenesis. Moreover, BRCA1 mutation patients with relatively abundant iCAFs and tip cell gene expression exhibited a limited response to neoadjuvant chemotherapy, including cisplatin and bevacizumab. Importantly, our study observed the intricate link between iCAFs-mediated angiogenesis and chemoresistance in TNBC with BRCA1 mutation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chae Min Lee
- Graduate School of Medical Science, Brain Korea 21 Project, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, 03722, Republic of Korea
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Gangnam Severance Hospital, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, 03722, Republic of Korea
| | - Yeseong Hwang
- Graduate School of Medical Science, Brain Korea 21 Project, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, 03722, Republic of Korea
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Gangnam Severance Hospital, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, 03722, Republic of Korea
| | - Jae Woong Jeong
- Department of Medicine, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, 03722, Republic of Korea
| | - Minki Kim
- Graduate School of Medical Science, Brain Korea 21 Project, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, 03722, Republic of Korea
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Gangnam Severance Hospital, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, 03722, Republic of Korea
| | - Janghee Lee
- Department of Surgery, Sacred Heart Hospital, Hallym University, Dongtan, 18450, Republic of Korea
- Department of Medicine, Yonsei University Graduate School, Seoul, 03722, Republic of Korea
| | - Soong June Bae
- Department of Surgery, Gangnam Severance Hospital, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, 06273, Republic of Korea
- Institute for Breast Cancer Precision Medicine, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, 06273, Republic of Korea
| | - Sung Gwe Ahn
- Department of Surgery, Gangnam Severance Hospital, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, 06273, Republic of Korea.
- Institute for Breast Cancer Precision Medicine, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, 06273, Republic of Korea.
| | - Sungsoon Fang
- Graduate School of Medical Science, Brain Korea 21 Project, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, 03722, Republic of Korea.
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Gangnam Severance Hospital, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, 03722, Republic of Korea.
- Chronic Intractable Disease for Systems Medicine Research Center, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, 03722, Republic of Korea.
- Severance Institute for Vascular and Metabolic Research, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, 03722, Republic of Korea.
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7
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Hachey SJ, Hatch CJ, Gaebler D, Mocherla A, Nee K, Kessenbrock K, Hughes CCW. Targeting tumor-stromal interactions in triple-negative breast cancer using a human vascularized micro-tumor model. Breast Cancer Res 2024; 26:5. [PMID: 38183074 PMCID: PMC10768273 DOI: 10.1186/s13058-023-01760-y] [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: 07/30/2023] [Accepted: 12/21/2023] [Indexed: 01/07/2024] Open
Abstract
Triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) is highly aggressive with limited available treatments. Stromal cells in the tumor microenvironment (TME) are crucial in TNBC progression; however, understanding the molecular basis of stromal cell activation and tumor-stromal crosstalk in TNBC is limited. To investigate therapeutic targets in the TNBC stromal niche, we used an advanced human in vitro microphysiological system called the vascularized micro-tumor (VMT). Using single-cell RNA sequencing, we revealed that normal breast tissue stromal cells activate neoplastic signaling pathways in the TNBC TME. By comparing interactions in VMTs with clinical data, we identified therapeutic targets at the tumor-stromal interface with potential clinical significance. Combining treatments targeting Tie2 signaling with paclitaxel resulted in vessel normalization and increased efficacy of paclitaxel in the TNBC VMT. Dual inhibition of HER3 and Akt also showed efficacy against TNBC. These data demonstrate the potential of inducing a favorable TME as a targeted therapeutic approach in TNBC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stephanie J Hachey
- Molecular Biology and Biochemistry, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, CA, USA.
| | | | - Daniela Gaebler
- Molecular Biology and Biochemistry, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, CA, USA
| | - Aneela Mocherla
- Molecular Biology and Biochemistry, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, CA, USA
| | - Kevin Nee
- Biological Chemistry, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, CA, USA
| | - Kai Kessenbrock
- Biological Chemistry, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, CA, USA
| | - Christopher C W Hughes
- Molecular Biology and Biochemistry, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, CA, USA
- Biomedical Engineering, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, CA, USA
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8
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Minello A, Carreira A. BRCA1/2 Haploinsufficiency: Exploring the Impact of Losing one Allele. J Mol Biol 2024; 436:168277. [PMID: 37714298 DOI: 10.1016/j.jmb.2023.168277] [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] [Received: 07/04/2023] [Revised: 09/07/2023] [Accepted: 09/08/2023] [Indexed: 09/17/2023]
Abstract
Since their discovery in the late 20th century, significant progress has been made in elucidating the functions of the tumor suppressor proteins BRCA1 and BRCA2. These proteins play vital roles in maintaining genome integrity, including DNA repair, replication fork protection, and chromosome maintenance. It is well-established that germline mutations in BRCA1 and BRCA2 increase the risk of breast and ovarian cancer; however, the precise mechanism underlying tumor formation in this context is not fully understood. Contrary to the long-standing belief that the loss of the second wild-type allele is necessary for tumor development, a growing body of evidence suggests that tumorigenesis can occur despite the presence of a single functional allele. This entails that heterozygosity in BRCA1/2 confers haploinsufficiency, where a single copy of the gene is not sufficient to fully suppress tumor formation. Here we provide an overview of the findings and the ongoing debate regarding BRCA haploinsufficiency. We further put out the challenges in studying this topic and discuss its potential relevance in the prevention and treatment of BRCA-related cancers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anna Minello
- Institut Curie, PSL Research University, CNRS, UMR3348, F-91405 Orsay, France; Paris-Saclay University CNRS, UMR3348, F-91405 Orsay, France
| | - Aura Carreira
- Institut Curie, PSL Research University, CNRS, UMR3348, F-91405 Orsay, France; Paris-Saclay University CNRS, UMR3348, F-91405 Orsay, France; Genome Instability and Cancer Predisposition Lab, Department of Genome Dynamics and Function, Centro de Biologia Molecular Severo Ochoa (CBMSO, CSIC-UAM), Madrid 28049, Spain.
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9
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Korneenko TV, Pestov NB. Oncogenic BRCA1,2 Mutations in the Human Lineage-A By-Product of Sexual Selection? Biomedicines 2023; 12:22. [PMID: 38275383 PMCID: PMC10813183 DOI: 10.3390/biomedicines12010022] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/31/2023] [Revised: 12/07/2023] [Accepted: 12/12/2023] [Indexed: 01/27/2024] Open
Abstract
In this review, we discuss the long-known problem of tissue-specific carcinogenesis in BRCA1 and BRCA2 mutation carriers: while the genes are expressed ubiquitously, increased cancer risk is observed mostly in the breast and ovaries, and to a much lesser extent, in some other tissues such as the prostate or pancreas. We reevaluate hypotheses on the evolutionary origin of these mutations in humans. Also, we align together the reports that at least some great apes have much lower risks of epithelial cancers in general and breast cancer in particular with the fact that humans have more voluminous breast tissue as compared to their closest extant relatives, particularly chimpanzees and bonobos. We conjecture that this disparity may be a consequence of sexual selection, augmented via selection for enhanced lactation. Further, we argue that there is an organ-specific enigma similar to the Peto paradox: breast cancer risk in humans is only minimally correlated with breast size. These considerations lead to the hypothesis that, along with the evolutionary development of larger breasts in humans, additional changes have played a balancing role in suppressing breast cancer. These yet-to-be-discovered mechanisms, while purely speculative, may be valuable to understanding human breast cancer, though they may not be exclusive to the mammary gland epithelial cells. Combining these themes, we review some anti-carcinogenesis preventive strategies and prospects of new interventions against breast cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tatyana V. Korneenko
- Group of Cross-Linking Enzymes, Shemyakin-Ovchinnikov Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry, Moscow 117997, Russia
| | - Nikolay B. Pestov
- Group of Cross-Linking Enzymes, Shemyakin-Ovchinnikov Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry, Moscow 117997, Russia
- Institute of Biomedical Chemistry, Moscow 119121, Russia
- Chumakov Federal Scientific Center for Research and Development of Immune-and-Biological Products, Moscow 108819, Russia
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Caputo A, Vipparthi K, Bazeley P, Downs-Kelly E, McIntire P, Ni Y, Hu B, Keri RA, Karaayvaz M. Alterations in the preneoplastic breast microenvironment of BRCA1/ 2 mutation carriers revealed by spatial transcriptomics. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.05.24.542078. [PMID: 37292816 PMCID: PMC10245938 DOI: 10.1101/2023.05.24.542078] [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
Breast cancer is the most common cancer in females, affecting one in every eight women and accounting for the majority of cancer-related deaths in women worldwide. Germline mutations in the BRCA1 and BRCA2 genes are significant risk factors for specific subtypes of breast cancer. BRCA1 mutations are associated with basal-like breast cancers, whereas BRCA2 mutations are associated with luminal-like disease. There are currently few chemoprevention strategies available for BRCA1/2 mutation carriers, and irreversible prophylactic mastectomy is the primary option. Designing chemo-preventive strategies requires an in-depth understanding of the physiological processes underlying tumor initiation. Here, we employ spatial transcriptomics to investigate defects in mammary epithelial cell differentiation accompanied by distinct microenvironmental alterations in preneoplastic breast tissues from BRCA1/2 mutation carriers and normal breast tissues from non-carrier controls. We uncovered spatially defined receptor-ligand interactions in these tissues for the investigation of autocrine and paracrine signaling. We discovered that β1-integrin-mediated autocrine signaling in BRCA2-deficient mammary epithelial cells differs from BRCA1-deficient mammary epithelial cells. In addition, we found that the epithelial-to-stromal paracrine signaling in the breast tissues of BRCA1/2 mutation carriers is greater than in control tissues. More integrin-ligand pairs were differentially correlated in BRCA1/2-mutant breast tissues than non-carrier breast tissues with more integrin receptor-expressing stromal cells. These results reveal alterations in the communication between mammary epithelial cells and the microenvironment in BRCA1 and BRCA2 mutation carriers, laying the foundation for designing innovative breast cancer chemo-prevention strategies for high-risk patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anthony Caputo
- Genomic Medicine Institute, Lerner Research Institute, Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, OH, USA
| | - Kavya Vipparthi
- Genomic Medicine Institute, Lerner Research Institute, Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, OH, USA
| | - Peter Bazeley
- Department of Quantitative Health Sciences, Lerner Research Institute, Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, OH, USA
| | - Erinn Downs-Kelly
- Department of Pathology, Pathology & Laboratory Medicine Institute, Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, OH, USA
| | - Patrick McIntire
- Department of Pathology, Pathology & Laboratory Medicine Institute, Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, OH, USA
| | - Ying Ni
- Center for Immunotherapy & Precision Immuno-Oncology, Lerner Research Institute, Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, OH, USA
| | - Bo Hu
- Department of Quantitative Health Sciences, Lerner Research Institute, Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, OH, USA
| | - Ruth A. Keri
- Department of Cancer Biology, Lerner Research Institute, Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, OH, USA
- Case Comprehensive Cancer Center, Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine, Cleveland, OH, USA
- Department of Molecular Medicine, Cleveland Clinic Lerner College of Medicine, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH, USA
| | - Mihriban Karaayvaz
- Genomic Medicine Institute, Lerner Research Institute, Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, OH, USA
- Case Comprehensive Cancer Center, Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine, Cleveland, OH, USA
- Department of Molecular Medicine, Cleveland Clinic Lerner College of Medicine, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH, USA
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Tournant F. Stromal cells drive tumorigenesis in BRCA1 mutation carriers. Nat Rev Cancer 2023; 23:349. [PMID: 37101004 DOI: 10.1038/s41568-023-00580-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/28/2023]
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