1
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Carlson EG, Lopez JC, Yamaguchi Y, Gibson J, Priceman SJ, LaBarge MA. CD105 + fibroblasts support an immunosuppressive niche in women at high risk of breast cancer initiation. Breast Cancer Res 2025; 27:81. [PMID: 40375322 PMCID: PMC12079957 DOI: 10.1186/s13058-025-02040-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/07/2025] [Accepted: 05/01/2025] [Indexed: 05/18/2025] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Aging is the greatest risk factor for breast cancer, and although epithelial cells are the source of carcinomas, epithelial changes alone do not fully explain cancer susceptibility. Fibroblasts and macrophages are key stromal constituents around the cells of origin for cancer in breast tissue. With age, macrophages surrounding terminal ductal lobular units (TDLUs) become increasingly immunosuppressive. CD105+ fibroblasts intercalate within TDLUs, drive luminal differentiation, and give rise to immunosuppressive cancer-associated fibroblasts in other tissues. We propose that differences in fibroblasts are a crucial component of the stroma that shapes cancer susceptibility. METHODS Primary peri-epithelial fibroblast cultures were established from prophylactic and reduction mammoplasties from 30 women ranging in age from 16 to 70 years and from BRCA1 mutation carriers. Growth characteristics, transcriptional profiles, differentiation potential, and secreted proteins were profiled for fibroblast subtypes from diverse donors. Co-cultures with fibroblasts, macrophages, and T cells were used to ascertain the functional role played by CD105+ fibroblasts in immune cell modulation. RESULTS We found that peri-epithelial CD105+ fibroblasts are enriched in older women as well as women who carry BRCA1 mutations. These CD105+ fibroblasts exhibit robust adipogenesis and secrete factors related to macrophage polarization. Macrophages cocultured with fibroblasts better maintain or enhance polarization states than media alone. CD105+ fibroblasts increased expression of immunosuppressive macrophage genes. CD105+ fibroblasts supported anti-inflammatory macrophage-mediated suppression of T cell proliferation, whereas CD105- fibroblasts significantly reduced the suppressive effect of anti-inflammatory macrophages on T cell proliferation. CONCLUSIONS Establishment of a coculture system to dissect the molecular circuits between CD105+ fibroblasts and macrophages that drive immunosuppressive macrophage polarization has broad utility in understanding mammary gland development and events that precede cancer initiation. CD105+ fibroblasts and macrophages may coordinate to suppress immunosurveillance and increase breast cancer susceptibility.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eric G Carlson
- Department of Population Sciences, City of Hope, Duarte, CA, USA
| | - Jennifer C Lopez
- Department of Population Sciences, City of Hope, Duarte, CA, USA
| | - Yukiko Yamaguchi
- Department of Hematology and Hematopoietic Cell Transplantation, City of Hope, Duarte, CA, USA
| | - Jackson Gibson
- Department of Hematology and Hematopoietic Cell Transplantation, City of Hope, Duarte, CA, USA
| | - Saul J Priceman
- Department of Hematology and Hematopoietic Cell Transplantation, City of Hope, Duarte, CA, USA
- Department of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, United States
| | - Mark A LaBarge
- Department of Population Sciences, City of Hope, Duarte, CA, USA.
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2
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Liu S, Cao H, Wang Z, Zhu J, An X, Zhang L, Song Y. Single-cell transcriptomics reveals extracellular matrix remodeling and collagen dynamics during lactation in sheep mammary gland. Int J Biol Macromol 2025; 312:143669. [PMID: 40319976 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijbiomac.2025.143669] [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: 12/03/2024] [Revised: 04/13/2025] [Accepted: 04/28/2025] [Indexed: 05/07/2025]
Abstract
The mammary gland is a dynamic organ with diverse cell populations that maintain glandular homeostasis, particularly during lactation. However, the cellular architecture and molecular mechanisms underlying lactational remodeling in the sheep mammary gland remain incompletely understood. Given similarities in mammary stromal structure, sheep serve as a valuable model for studying lactational changes relevant to the human breast, which experiences collagen loss and sagging during lactation. Utilizing single-cell transcriptomics (scRNA-seq), we mapped the sheep mammary gland's cellular landscape at postpartum days 60 and 150, identifying seven major cell types, including six distinct epithelial clusters. These clusters revealed differentiation among luminal progenitors, hormone-sensing, and myoepithelial cells across peak and late lactation stages. Transcriptomic analysis highlighted pivotal roles for epithelial integrity and ECM remodeling, with myoepithelial cells centrally involved in these processes. We observed significant collagen remodeling driven by fibroblast-epithelial crosstalk and ECM reorganization during late lactation. Comparative analysis with human mammary epithelial cells showed conserved basal and myoepithelial cell populations, while luminal cells diverged across species. This study provides insights into lactation biology and ECM remodeling, offering a framework to inform future studies on lactational adaptation and its implications for human health.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shujuan Liu
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, Shaanxi 712100, PR China
| | - Heran Cao
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, Shaanxi 712100, PR China
| | - Zhanhang Wang
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, Shaanxi 712100, PR China
| | - Junru Zhu
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, Shaanxi 712100, PR China
| | - Xiaopeng An
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, Shaanxi 712100, PR China.
| | - Lei Zhang
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, Shaanxi 712100, PR China.
| | - Yuxuan Song
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, Shaanxi 712100, PR China.
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3
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Pascual R, Cheng J, De Smet AH, Capaldo BD, Tsai M, Kordafshari S, Vaillant F, Song X, Giner G, Milevskiy MJG, Jackling FC, Pal B, Dite T, Yousef J, Dagley LF, Smyth GK, Fu N, Lindeman GJ, Chen Y, Visvader JE. Fibroblast hierarchy dynamics during mammary gland morphogenesis and tumorigenesis. EMBO J 2025:10.1038/s44318-025-00422-3. [PMID: 40216939 DOI: 10.1038/s44318-025-00422-3] [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: 09/16/2024] [Revised: 03/11/2025] [Accepted: 03/14/2025] [Indexed: 05/03/2025] Open
Abstract
Fibroblasts form a major component of the stroma in normal mammary tissue and breast tumors. Here, we have applied longitudinal single-cell transcriptome profiling of >45,000 fibroblasts in the mouse mammary gland across five different developmental stages and during oncogenesis. In the normal gland, diverse stromal populations were resolved, including lobular-like fibroblasts, committed preadipocytes and adipogenesis-regulatory, as well as cycling fibroblasts in puberty and pregnancy. These specialized cell types appear to emerge from CD34high mesenchymal progenitor cells, accompanied by elevated Hedgehog signaling. During late tumorigenesis, heterogeneous cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs) were identified in mouse models of breast cancer, including a population of CD34- myofibroblastic CAFs (myCAFs) that were transcriptionally and phenotypically similar to senescent CAFs. Moreover, Wnt9a was demonstrated to be a regulator of senescence in CD34- myCAFs. These findings reflect a diverse and hierarchically organized stromal compartment in the normal mammary gland that provides a framework to better understand fibroblasts in normal and cancerous states.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rosa Pascual
- ACRF Cancer Biology and Stem Cells Division, The Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research, Parkville, VIC, 3052, Australia
- Department of Medical Biology, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC, 3010, Australia
| | - Jinming Cheng
- ACRF Cancer Biology and Stem Cells Division, The Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research, Parkville, VIC, 3052, Australia
- Department of Medical Biology, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC, 3010, Australia
- Bioinformatics Division, The Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research, Parkville, VIC, 3052, Australia
| | - Amelia H De Smet
- ACRF Cancer Biology and Stem Cells Division, The Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research, Parkville, VIC, 3052, Australia
- Department of Medical Biology, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC, 3010, Australia
| | - Bianca D Capaldo
- ACRF Cancer Biology and Stem Cells Division, The Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research, Parkville, VIC, 3052, Australia
- Department of Medical Biology, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC, 3010, Australia
| | - Minhsuang Tsai
- ACRF Cancer Biology and Stem Cells Division, The Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research, Parkville, VIC, 3052, Australia
| | - Somayeh Kordafshari
- ACRF Cancer Biology and Stem Cells Division, The Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research, Parkville, VIC, 3052, Australia
- Department of Medical Biology, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC, 3010, Australia
| | - François Vaillant
- ACRF Cancer Biology and Stem Cells Division, The Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research, Parkville, VIC, 3052, Australia
- Department of Medical Biology, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC, 3010, Australia
| | - Xiaoyu Song
- ACRF Cancer Biology and Stem Cells Division, The Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research, Parkville, VIC, 3052, Australia
- Department of Medical Biology, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC, 3010, Australia
| | - Göknur Giner
- Bioinformatics Division, The Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research, Parkville, VIC, 3052, Australia
| | - Michael J G Milevskiy
- ACRF Cancer Biology and Stem Cells Division, The Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research, Parkville, VIC, 3052, Australia
- Department of Medical Biology, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC, 3010, Australia
| | - Felicity C Jackling
- ACRF Cancer Biology and Stem Cells Division, The Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research, Parkville, VIC, 3052, Australia
| | - Bhupinder Pal
- Translational Breast Cancer Program, Olivia Newton-John Cancer Research Institute and School for Cancer Medicine La Trobe University, Heidelberg, VIC, 3084, Australia
| | - Toby Dite
- Department of Medical Biology, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC, 3010, Australia
- Advanced Technology and Biology Division, The Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research, Parkville, VIC, 3052, Australia
| | - Jumana Yousef
- Department of Medical Biology, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC, 3010, Australia
- Advanced Technology and Biology Division, The Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research, Parkville, VIC, 3052, Australia
| | - Laura F Dagley
- Department of Medical Biology, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC, 3010, Australia
- Advanced Technology and Biology Division, The Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research, Parkville, VIC, 3052, Australia
| | - Gordon K Smyth
- Bioinformatics Division, The Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research, Parkville, VIC, 3052, Australia
- School of Mathematics and Statistics, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC, 3010, Australia
| | - Naiyang Fu
- ACRF Cancer Biology and Stem Cells Division, The Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research, Parkville, VIC, 3052, Australia
- Department of Medical Biology, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC, 3010, Australia
| | - Geoffrey J Lindeman
- ACRF Cancer Biology and Stem Cells Division, The Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research, Parkville, VIC, 3052, Australia
- Department of Medicine, Royal Melbourne Hospital, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC, 3010, Australia
- Parkville Familial Cancer Centre and Department of Medical Oncology, The Royal Melbourne Hospital and Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre, Parkville, VIC, 3050, Australia
| | - Yunshun Chen
- ACRF Cancer Biology and Stem Cells Division, The Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research, Parkville, VIC, 3052, Australia
- Department of Medical Biology, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC, 3010, Australia
- Bioinformatics Division, The Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research, Parkville, VIC, 3052, Australia
| | - Jane E Visvader
- ACRF Cancer Biology and Stem Cells Division, The Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research, Parkville, VIC, 3052, Australia.
- Department of Medical Biology, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC, 3010, Australia.
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4
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Carlson EG, Lopez JC, Yamaguchi Y, Gibson J, Priceman S, LaBarge MA. CD105+ fibroblasts support an immunosuppressive niche in women at high risk of breast cancer initiation. RESEARCH SQUARE 2025:rs.3.rs-5777126. [PMID: 40235480 PMCID: PMC11998780 DOI: 10.21203/rs.3.rs-5777126/v1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/17/2025]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Aging is the greatest risk factor for breast cancer, and although epithelial cells are the source of carcinomas, epithelial changes alone do not fully explain cancer susceptibility. Fibroblasts and macrophages are key stromal constituents around the cells of origin for cancer in breast tissue. With age, macrophages surrounding terminal ductal lobular units (TDLUs) become increasingly immunosuppressive. CD105 + fibroblasts intercalate within TDLUs, drive luminal differentiation, and give rise to immunosuppressive cancer-associated fibroblasts in other tissues. We propose that differences in fibroblasts are a crucial component of the stroma that shapes cancer susceptibility. METHODS Primary fibroblast cultures were established from prophylactic and reduction mammoplasties from women ranging in age from 16 to 70 years and breast cancer risk ( BRCA1 mutation carriers). Growth characteristics, transcriptional profiles, differentiation potential, and secreted proteins were profiled for fibroblast subtypes from diverse donors. Co-cultures with fibroblasts, monocytes, macrophages, and T cells were used to ascertain the functional role played by CD105 + fibroblasts in immune cell modulation. RESULTS We found that peri-epithelial CD105 + fibroblasts are enriched in older women as well as women who carry BRCA1 mutations. These CD105 + fibroblasts exhibit robust adipogenesis and secrete factors related to macrophage polarization. Macrophages cocultured with fibroblasts better maintain or enhance polarization states than media alone. CD105 + fibroblasts increased expression of immunosuppressive macrophage genes. CD105 + fibroblasts supported anti-inflammatory macrophage-mediated suppression of T cell proliferation, whereas CD105 - fibroblasts significantly reduced the suppressive effect of anti-inflammatory macrophages on T cell proliferation. CONCLUSIONS Establishment of a coculture system to dissect the molecular circuits between CD105 + fibroblasts and macrophages that drive immunosuppressive macrophage polarization has broad utility in understanding mammary gland development and events that precede cancer initiation. CD105 + fibroblasts and macrophages may coordinate to suppress immunosurveillance and increase breast cancer susceptibility.
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5
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Angarola BL, Sharma S, Katiyar N, Kang HG, Nehar-Belaid D, Park S, Gott R, Eryilmaz GN, LaBarge MA, Palucka K, Chuang JH, Korstanje R, Ucar D, Anczukόw O. Comprehensive single-cell aging atlas of healthy mammary tissues reveals shared epigenomic and transcriptomic signatures of aging and cancer. NATURE AGING 2025; 5:122-143. [PMID: 39587369 PMCID: PMC11754115 DOI: 10.1038/s43587-024-00751-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/14/2023] [Accepted: 10/16/2024] [Indexed: 11/27/2024]
Abstract
Aging is the greatest risk factor for breast cancer; however, how age-related cellular and molecular events impact cancer initiation is unknown. In this study, we investigated how aging rewires transcriptomic and epigenomic programs of mouse mammary glands at single-cell resolution, yielding a comprehensive resource for aging and cancer biology. Aged epithelial cells exhibit epigenetic and transcriptional changes in metabolic, pro-inflammatory and cancer-associated genes. Aged stromal cells downregulate fibroblast marker genes and upregulate markers of senescence and cancer-associated fibroblasts. Among immune cells, distinct T cell subsets (Gzmk+, memory CD4+, γδ) and M2-like macrophages expand with age. Spatial transcriptomics reveals co-localization of aged immune and epithelial cells in situ. Lastly, we found transcriptional signatures of aging mammary cells in human breast tumors, suggesting possible links between aging and cancer. Together, these data uncover that epithelial, immune and stromal cells shift in proportions and cell identity, potentially impacting cell plasticity, aged microenvironment and neoplasia risk.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Neerja Katiyar
- The Jackson Laboratory for Genomic Medicine, Farmington, CT, USA
| | - Hyeon Gu Kang
- The Jackson Laboratory for Genomic Medicine, Farmington, CT, USA
| | | | - SungHee Park
- The Jackson Laboratory for Genomic Medicine, Farmington, CT, USA
| | | | - Giray N Eryilmaz
- The Jackson Laboratory for Genomic Medicine, Farmington, CT, USA
| | - Mark A LaBarge
- Department of Population Sciences, Beckman Research Institute, City of Hope, Duarte, CA, USA
| | - Karolina Palucka
- The Jackson Laboratory for Genomic Medicine, Farmington, CT, USA
| | - Jeffrey H Chuang
- The Jackson Laboratory for Genomic Medicine, Farmington, CT, USA
| | | | - Duygu Ucar
- The Jackson Laboratory for Genomic Medicine, Farmington, CT, USA.
- Department of Genetics and Genome Sciences, UConn Health, Farmington, CT, USA.
- Institute for Systems Genomics, UConn Health, Farmington, CT, USA.
| | - Olga Anczukόw
- The Jackson Laboratory for Genomic Medicine, Farmington, CT, USA.
- Department of Genetics and Genome Sciences, UConn Health, Farmington, CT, USA.
- Institute for Systems Genomics, UConn Health, Farmington, CT, USA.
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6
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Saeki K, Ha D, Chang G, Mori H, Yoshitake R, Wu X, Wang J, Wang YZ, Wang X, Tzeng T, Shim HJ, Neuhausen SL, Chen S. Perimenopausal and Menopausal Mammary Glands In A 4-Vinylcyclohexene Diepoxide Mouse Model. J Mammary Gland Biol Neoplasia 2024; 29:15. [PMID: 39017946 PMCID: PMC11254995 DOI: 10.1007/s10911-024-09569-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/02/2024] [Accepted: 07/05/2024] [Indexed: 07/18/2024] Open
Abstract
As both perimenopausal and menopausal periods are recognized critical windows of susceptibility for breast carcinogenesis, development of a physiologically relevant model has been warranted. The traditional ovariectomy model causes instant removal of the entire hormonal repertoire produced by the ovary, which does not accurately approximate human natural menopause with gradual transition. Here, we characterized the mammary glands of 4-vinylcyclohexene diepoxide (VCD)-treated animals at different time points, revealing that the model can provide the mammary glands with both perimenopausal and menopausal states. The perimenopausal gland showed moderate regression in ductal structure with no responsiveness to external hormones, while the menopausal gland showed severe regression with hypersensitivity to hormones. Leveraging the findings on the VCD model, effects of a major endocrine disruptor (polybrominated diphenyl ethers, PBDEs) on the mammary gland were examined during and after menopausal transition, with the two exposure modes; low-dose, chronic (environmental) and high-dose, subacute (experimental). All conditions of PBDE exposure did not augment or compromise the macroscopic ductal reorganization resulting from menopausal transition and/or hormonal treatments. Single-cell RNA sequencing revealed that the experimental PBDE exposure during the post-menopausal period caused specific transcriptomic changes in the non-epithelial compartment such as Errfi1 upregulation in fibroblasts. The environmental PBDE exposure resulted in similar transcriptomic changes to a lesser extent. In summary, the VCD mouse model provides both perimenopausal and menopausal windows of susceptibility for the breast cancer research community. PBDEs, including all tested models, may affect the post-menopausal gland including impacts on the non-epithelial compartments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kohei Saeki
- Department of Cancer Biology and Molecular Medicine, Beckman Research Institute of City of Hope, 1500 East Duarte Road, Duarte, CA, 91010, USA
- Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Okayama University of Science, Ehime, Japan
| | - Desiree Ha
- Department of Cancer Biology and Molecular Medicine, Beckman Research Institute of City of Hope, 1500 East Duarte Road, Duarte, CA, 91010, USA
| | - Gregory Chang
- Department of Cancer Biology and Molecular Medicine, Beckman Research Institute of City of Hope, 1500 East Duarte Road, Duarte, CA, 91010, USA
| | - Hitomi Mori
- Department of Cancer Biology and Molecular Medicine, Beckman Research Institute of City of Hope, 1500 East Duarte Road, Duarte, CA, 91010, USA
| | - Ryohei Yoshitake
- Department of Cancer Biology and Molecular Medicine, Beckman Research Institute of City of Hope, 1500 East Duarte Road, Duarte, CA, 91010, USA
| | - Xiwei Wu
- Integrative Genomics Core, Beckman Research Institute of City of Hope, Duarte, CA, USA
| | - Jinhui Wang
- Integrative Genomics Core, Beckman Research Institute of City of Hope, Duarte, CA, USA
| | - Yuan-Zhong Wang
- Department of Cancer Biology and Molecular Medicine, Beckman Research Institute of City of Hope, 1500 East Duarte Road, Duarte, CA, 91010, USA
| | - Xiaoqiang Wang
- Department of Cancer Biology and Molecular Medicine, Beckman Research Institute of City of Hope, 1500 East Duarte Road, Duarte, CA, 91010, USA
| | - Tony Tzeng
- Department of Cancer Biology and Molecular Medicine, Beckman Research Institute of City of Hope, 1500 East Duarte Road, Duarte, CA, 91010, USA
| | - Hyun Jeong Shim
- Department of Cancer Biology and Molecular Medicine, Beckman Research Institute of City of Hope, 1500 East Duarte Road, Duarte, CA, 91010, USA
| | - Susan L Neuhausen
- Department of Population Sciences, Beckman Research Institute of City of Hope, Duarte, CA, USA
| | - Shiuan Chen
- Department of Cancer Biology and Molecular Medicine, Beckman Research Institute of City of Hope, 1500 East Duarte Road, Duarte, CA, 91010, USA.
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7
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McCartney EE, Chung Y, Buechler MB. Life of Pi: Exploring functions of Pi16+ fibroblasts. F1000Res 2024; 13:126. [PMID: 38919948 PMCID: PMC11196929 DOI: 10.12688/f1000research.143511.1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 07/03/2024] [Indexed: 06/27/2024] Open
Abstract
Fibroblasts are mesenchymal cells that are responsible for creating and maintaining tissue architecture through the production of extracellular matrix. These cells also play critical roles in processes such as wound repair and immune modulation in normal tissues and various disease states including fibrosis, autoimmunity, and cancer. Fibroblasts have a complex repertoire of functions that vary by organ, inflammatory state, and the developmental stage of an organism. How fibroblasts manage so many functions in such a context-dependent manner represents a gap in our understanding of these cells. One possibility is that a tissue-resident precursor cell state exists that provides the fibroblast lineage with flexibility during growth, inflammation, or other contexts that require dynamic tissue changes. Recent work has suggested that a precursor fibroblast cell state is marked by expression of Peptidase inhibitor 16 ( Pi16). This review aims to concatenate and compare studies on fibroblasts that express Pi16 to clarify the roles of this cell state in fibroblast lineage development and other functions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Erika E. McCartney
- Department of Immunology, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, M5S1A8, Canada
| | - Yein Chung
- Department of Immunology, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, M5S1A8, Canada
| | - Matthew B. Buechler
- Department of Immunology, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, M5S1A8, Canada
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8
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Sumbal J, Sumbalova Koledova Z. Fibroblast-Epithelium Co-culture Methods Using Epithelial Organoids and Cell Line-Derived Spheroids. Methods Mol Biol 2024; 2764:107-129. [PMID: 38393591 DOI: 10.1007/978-1-0716-3674-9_8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/25/2024]
Abstract
Fibroblasts are an integral cell type of mammary gland stroma, which plays crucial roles in development, homeostasis, and tumorigenesis of mammary epithelium. Fibroblasts produce and remodel extracellular matrix proteins and secrete a plethora of paracrine signals, which instruct both epithelial and other stromal cells of the mammary gland through mechanisms, which have not been fully understood. To enable deciphering of the intricate fibroblast-epithelial interactions, we developed several 3D co-culture methods. In this chapter, we describe methods for establishment of various types of embedded 3D co-cultures of mammary fibroblasts with mammary epithelial organoids, mammary tumor organoids, or breast cancer spheroids to investigate the role of fibroblasts in mammary epithelial development, morphogenesis, and tumorigenesis. The co-culture types include dispersed, aggregated, and transwell cultures.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jakub Sumbal
- Department of Histology and Embryology, Faculty of Medicine, Masaryk University, Brno, Czech Republic
- Laboratory of Genetics and Developmental Biology, Institut Curie, INSERM U934, CNRS UMR3215, Paris, France
- Sorbonne Université, Collège Doctoral, Paris, France
| | - Zuzana Sumbalova Koledova
- Department of Histology and Embryology, Faculty of Medicine, Masaryk University, Brno, Czech Republic.
- Laboratory of Tissue Morphogenesis and Cancer, Institute of Molecular Genetics of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Prague, Czech Republic.
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9
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Sumbal J, Fre S, Sumbalova Koledova Z. Fibroblast-induced mammary epithelial branching depends on fibroblast contractility. PLoS Biol 2024; 22:e3002093. [PMID: 38198514 PMCID: PMC10805323 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pbio.3002093] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/13/2023] [Revised: 01/23/2024] [Accepted: 11/24/2023] [Indexed: 01/12/2024] Open
Abstract
Epithelial branching morphogenesis is an essential process in living organisms, through which organ-specific epithelial shapes are created. Interactions between epithelial cells and their stromal microenvironment instruct branching morphogenesis but remain incompletely understood. Here, we employed fibroblast-organoid or fibroblast-spheroid co-culture systems and time-lapse imaging to reveal that physical contact between fibroblasts and epithelial cells and fibroblast contractility are required to induce mammary epithelial branching. Pharmacological inhibition of ROCK or non-muscle myosin II, or fibroblast-specific knock-out of Myh9 abrogate fibroblast-induced epithelial branching. The process of fibroblast-induced branching requires epithelial proliferation and is associated with distinctive epithelial patterning of yes associated protein (YAP) activity along organoid branches, which is dependent on fibroblast contractility. Moreover, we provide evidence for the in vivo existence of contractile fibroblasts specifically surrounding terminal end buds (TEBs) of pubertal murine mammary glands, advocating for an important role of fibroblast contractility in branching in vivo. Together, we identify fibroblast contractility as a novel stromal factor driving mammary epithelial morphogenesis. Our study contributes to comprehensive understanding of overlapping but divergent employment of mechanically active fibroblasts in developmental versus tumorigenic programs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jakub Sumbal
- Masaryk University, Faculty of Medicine, Department of Histology and Embryology, Brno, Czech Republic
- Institut Curie, Laboratory of Genetics and Developmental Biology, INSERM U934, CNRS UMR3215, PSL Université Paris, Paris, France
- Sorbonne Université, Collège Doctoral, Paris, France
| | - Silvia Fre
- Institut Curie, Laboratory of Genetics and Developmental Biology, INSERM U934, CNRS UMR3215, PSL Université Paris, Paris, France
| | - Zuzana Sumbalova Koledova
- Masaryk University, Faculty of Medicine, Department of Histology and Embryology, Brno, Czech Republic
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10
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Rajan AM, Rosin NL, Labit E, Biernaskie J, Liao S, Huang P. Single-cell analysis reveals distinct fibroblast plasticity during tenocyte regeneration in zebrafish. SCIENCE ADVANCES 2023; 9:eadi5771. [PMID: 37967180 PMCID: PMC10651129 DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.adi5771] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/13/2023] [Accepted: 10/16/2023] [Indexed: 11/17/2023]
Abstract
Despite their importance in tissue maintenance and repair, fibroblast diversity and plasticity remain poorly understood. Using single-cell RNA sequencing, we uncover distinct sclerotome-derived fibroblast populations in zebrafish, including progenitor-like perivascular/interstitial fibroblasts, and specialized fibroblasts such as tenocytes. To determine fibroblast plasticity in vivo, we develop a laser-induced tendon ablation and regeneration model. Lineage tracing reveals that laser-ablated tenocytes are quickly regenerated by preexisting fibroblasts. By combining single-cell clonal analysis and live imaging, we demonstrate that perivascular/interstitial fibroblasts actively migrate to the injury site, where they proliferate and give rise to new tenocytes. By contrast, perivascular fibroblast-derived pericytes or specialized fibroblasts, including tenocytes, exhibit no regenerative plasticity. Active Hedgehog (Hh) signaling is required for the proliferation of activated fibroblasts to ensure efficient tenocyte regeneration. Together, our work highlights the functional diversity of fibroblasts and establishes perivascular/interstitial fibroblasts as tenocyte progenitors that promote tendon regeneration in a Hh signaling-dependent manner.
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Affiliation(s)
- Arsheen M. Rajan
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Alberta Children’s Hospital Research Institute, Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB T2N 4N1, Canada
| | - Nicole L. Rosin
- Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Alberta Children’s Hospital Research Institute, Hotchkiss Brain Institute, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB T2N 4N1, Canada
| | - Elodie Labit
- Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Alberta Children’s Hospital Research Institute, Hotchkiss Brain Institute, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB T2N 4N1, Canada
| | - Jeff Biernaskie
- Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Alberta Children’s Hospital Research Institute, Hotchkiss Brain Institute, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB T2N 4N1, Canada
| | - Shan Liao
- Inflammation Research Network, Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Infectious Diseases, Snyder Institute for Chronic Diseases, Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB T2N 4N1, Canada
| | - Peng Huang
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Alberta Children’s Hospital Research Institute, Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB T2N 4N1, Canada
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11
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Angarola BL, Sharma S, Katiyar N, Gu Kang H, Nehar-Belaid D, Park S, Gott R, Eryilmaz GN, LaBarge MA, Palucka K, Chuang JH, Korstanje R, Ucar D, Anczukow O. Comprehensive single cell aging atlas of mammary tissues reveals shared epigenomic and transcriptomic signatures of aging and cancer. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.10.20.563147. [PMID: 37961129 PMCID: PMC10634680 DOI: 10.1101/2023.10.20.563147] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/15/2023]
Abstract
Aging is the greatest risk factor for breast cancer; however, how age-related cellular and molecular events impact cancer initiation is unknown. We investigate how aging rewires transcriptomic and epigenomic programs of mouse mammary glands at single cell resolution, yielding a comprehensive resource for aging and cancer biology. Aged epithelial cells exhibit epigenetic and transcriptional changes in metabolic, pro-inflammatory, or cancer-associated genes. Aged stromal cells downregulate fibroblast marker genes and upregulate markers of senescence and cancer-associated fibroblasts. Among immune cells, distinct T cell subsets (Gzmk+, memory CD4+, γδ) and M2-like macrophages expand with age. Spatial transcriptomics reveal co-localization of aged immune and epithelial cells in situ. Lastly, transcriptional signatures of aging mammary cells are found in human breast tumors, suggesting mechanistic links between aging and cancer. Together, these data uncover that epithelial, immune, and stromal cells shift in proportions and cell identity, potentially impacting cell plasticity, aged microenvironment, and neoplasia risk.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Neerja Katiyar
- The Jackson Laboratory for Genomic Medicine, Farmington, CT, USA
| | - Hyeon Gu Kang
- The Jackson Laboratory for Genomic Medicine, Farmington, CT, USA
| | | | - SungHee Park
- The Jackson Laboratory for Genomic Medicine, Farmington, CT, USA
| | | | - Giray N Eryilmaz
- The Jackson Laboratory for Genomic Medicine, Farmington, CT, USA
| | - Mark A LaBarge
- Beckman Research Institute at City of Hope, Duarte, CA, USA
| | - Karolina Palucka
- The Jackson Laboratory for Genomic Medicine, Farmington, CT, USA
| | - Jeffrey H Chuang
- The Jackson Laboratory for Genomic Medicine, Farmington, CT, USA
| | | | - Duygu Ucar
- The Jackson Laboratory for Genomic Medicine, Farmington, CT, USA
- Department of Genetics and Genome Sciences, UConn Health, Farmington, CT, USA
- Institute for Systems Genomics, UConn Health, Farmington, CT, USA
| | - Olga Anczukow
- The Jackson Laboratory for Genomic Medicine, Farmington, CT, USA
- Department of Genetics and Genome Sciences, UConn Health, Farmington, CT, USA
- Institute for Systems Genomics, UConn Health, Farmington, CT, USA
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12
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Houthuijzen JM, de Bruijn R, van der Burg E, Drenth AP, Wientjens E, Filipovic T, Bullock E, Brambillasca CS, Pulver EM, Nieuwland M, de Rink I, van Diepen F, Klarenbeek S, Kerkhoven R, Brunton VG, Scheele CLGJ, Boelens MC, Jonkers J. CD26-negative and CD26-positive tissue-resident fibroblasts contribute to functionally distinct CAF subpopulations in breast cancer. Nat Commun 2023; 14:183. [PMID: 36635273 PMCID: PMC9837080 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-35793-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 48] [Impact Index Per Article: 24.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/18/2022] [Accepted: 01/03/2023] [Indexed: 01/14/2023] Open
Abstract
Cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs) are abundantly present in the microenvironment of virtually all tumors and strongly impact tumor progression. Despite increasing insight into their function and heterogeneity, little is known regarding the origin of CAFs. Understanding the origin of CAF heterogeneity is needed to develop successful CAF-based targeted therapies. Through various transplantation studies in mice, we show that CAFs in both invasive lobular breast cancer and triple-negative breast cancer originate from mammary tissue-resident normal fibroblasts (NFs). Single-cell transcriptomics, in vivo and in vitro studies reveal the transition of CD26+ and CD26- NF populations into inflammatory CAFs (iCAFs) and myofibroblastic CAFs (myCAFs), respectively. Functional co-culture experiments show that CD26+ NFs transition into pro-tumorigenic iCAFs which recruit myeloid cells in a CXCL12-dependent manner and enhance tumor cell invasion via matrix-metalloproteinase (MMP) activity. Together, our data suggest that CD26+ and CD26- NFs transform into distinct CAF subpopulations in mouse models of breast cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Julia M Houthuijzen
- Division of Molecular Pathology, Oncode Institute, The Netherlands Cancer Institute, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
| | - Roebi de Bruijn
- Division of Molecular Pathology, Oncode Institute, The Netherlands Cancer Institute, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.,Division of Molecular Carcinogenesis, The Netherlands Cancer Institute, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Eline van der Burg
- Division of Molecular Pathology, Oncode Institute, The Netherlands Cancer Institute, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Anne Paulien Drenth
- Division of Molecular Pathology, Oncode Institute, The Netherlands Cancer Institute, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Ellen Wientjens
- Division of Molecular Pathology, Oncode Institute, The Netherlands Cancer Institute, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Tamara Filipovic
- Division of Molecular Pathology, Oncode Institute, The Netherlands Cancer Institute, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Esme Bullock
- Cancer Research UK Edinburgh Centre, Institute of Genetics and Cancer, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
| | - Chiara S Brambillasca
- Division of Molecular Pathology, Oncode Institute, The Netherlands Cancer Institute, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Emilia M Pulver
- Division of Molecular Pathology, Oncode Institute, The Netherlands Cancer Institute, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Marja Nieuwland
- Genomics Core Facility, The Netherlands Cancer Institute, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Iris de Rink
- Genomics Core Facility, The Netherlands Cancer Institute, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Frank van Diepen
- Flow Cytometry Facility, The Netherlands Cancer Institute, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Sjoerd Klarenbeek
- Experimental Animal Pathology Facility, The Netherlands Cancer Institute, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Ron Kerkhoven
- Genomics Core Facility, The Netherlands Cancer Institute, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Valerie G Brunton
- Cancer Research UK Edinburgh Centre, Institute of Genetics and Cancer, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
| | - Colinda L G J Scheele
- Laboratory for Intravital Imaging and Dynamics of Tumor Progression, VIB Center for Cancer Biology, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium.,Department of Oncology, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Mirjam C Boelens
- Division of Molecular Pathology, Oncode Institute, The Netherlands Cancer Institute, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Jos Jonkers
- Division of Molecular Pathology, Oncode Institute, The Netherlands Cancer Institute, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
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