A less invasive method for orthotopic injection of breast cancer cells into the mouse mammary gland

2016 ◽  
Vol 51 (1) ◽  
pp. 85-88 ◽  
Author(s):  
Luz E Tavera-Mendoza ◽  
Myles Brown
Keyword(s):  
Breast Cancer ◽  
Mammary Gland ◽  
Cancer Cells ◽  
Cancer Biology ◽  
Mouse Mammary Gland ◽  
Breast Cancers ◽  
Biologically Relevant ◽  
Therapeutic Development ◽  
Invasive Method ◽  
Animal Handling

Breast cancer is the most common type of cancer diagnosed in women, and the second most common cause of cancer-related deaths in women in North America. The use of laboratory mice in research is an essential tool for the study of breast cancer biology and for pre-clinical therapeutic development. While subcutaneous flank injections of cancer cells are widely used for studying breast cancer biology and for exploring novel therapies, orthotopic xenografting of tumors into the mouse mammary gland allow for the study of breast cancers in a biologically relevant microenvironment. In this study we report a modification of the method of orthotopic injections of cancer cells into the mouse mammary gland which greatly reduces the effects of surgery in mice including decreased wound size, procedure time and anesthesia. It also removes the risk of accidentally puncturing the peritoneal cavity. Consequently post-operative animal handling and stress are significantly reduced. All of these advantages are present without compromising procedure success rate. Therefore, this modification makes orthotopic mammary gland injection a more efficient procedure and greatly improves animal welfare.

scholarly journals Vimentin plays a functional role in mammary gland regeneration

2017 ◽  
Author(s):  
Reetta Virtakoivu ◽  
Emilia Peuhu ◽  
Anja Mai ◽  
Anni Wärri ◽  
Johanna Ivaska
Keyword(s):  
Breast Cancer ◽  
Mammary Gland ◽  
Epithelial Cell ◽  
Epithelial Cells ◽  
Cancer Cells ◽  
Breast Cancer Cells ◽  
Mammary Epithelial Cells ◽  
Mouse Mammary Gland ◽  
Mammary Epithelial ◽  
Basal Epithelial Cell

AbstractIn the mammary gland, vimentin intermediate filaments are expressed in stromal cells and in basal epithelial cell populations including gland-reconstituting mammary stem cells (MaSC), with largely undefined functions. Here, we studied how vimentin deficiency affects mouse mammary gland development. Our results demonstrate that in adult vimentin knockout mice (Vim-/-) mammary ductal outgrowth is delayed. The adult Vim-/- glands are characterised by dilated ducts, an imbalance in the proportion of basal to luminal mammary epithelial cells and a reduction in cells expressing Slug (Snai2), an established MaSC regulator. All of these features are indicative of reduced progenitor cell activity. Accordingly, isolated Vim-/- mammary epithelial cells display reduced capacity to form mammospheres, and altered organoid structure, compared to wt counterparts, when plated in a 3D matrix in vitro. Importantly, altered basal epithelial cell number translates into defects in Vim-/- mammary gland regeneration in vivo in cleared fat pad transplantation studies. Furthermore, we show that vimentin contributes to stem-like cell properties in triple negative MDA-MB-231 breast cancer cells, wherein vimentin depletion reduces tumorsphere formation and alters expression of breast cancer stem cell-associated surface markers. Together, our findings identify vimentin as a positive regulator of stemness in the developing mouse mammary gland and in breast cancer cells.

scholarly journals Novel Antibodies Targeting MUC1-C Showed Anti-Metastasis and Growth-Inhibitory Effects on Human Breast Cancer Cells

2020 ◽  
Vol 21 (9) ◽  
pp. 3258
Author(s):  
Min Jung Kim ◽  
Jong Rip Choi ◽  
Nara Tae ◽  
Tae Min Wi ◽  
Kristine M. Kim ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Breast Cancer ◽  
Cancer Cells ◽  
Mammalian Cells ◽  
Type I ◽  
Breast Cancers ◽  
Human Breast ◽  
Cellular Functions ◽  
Multiple Cancer ◽  
Specific Antibodies ◽  
Therapeutic Development

Mucin1 (MUC1) is aberrantly glycosylated and overexpressed in various cancers, and it plays a crucial role in cancerogenesis. MUC1 is a type I membranous protein composed of α and β subunits. MUC1-α can be cleaved in cancers, exposing MUC1-β (MUC1-C). MUC1-C is involved with multiple cancer cellular functions, which makes it an attractive target for cancer treatment. However, its multifunctional mechanisms have not been fully elucidated and there has not been a successful therapeutic development against MUC1-C. Through a phage display process, we isolated the specific antibodies for the extracellular domain of MUC1-C. The relevant full IgG antibodies were produced successfully from mammalian cells and validated for their MUC1-C specificities through ELISA, dual FACS analysis, BLI assay, and confocal image analysis. In the comparison with reference antibody, elected antibodies showed characteristic bindings on target antigens. In the functionality assessment of high-ranking antibodies, SKM1-02, -13, and -20 antibodies highly inhibited invasion by triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) cells and the SKM1-02 showed strong growth inhibition of cancer cells. Our results showed that these MUC1-C specific antibodies will be important tools for the understanding of MUC1 oncogenesis and are also highly effective therapeutic candidates against human breast cancers, especially TNBC cells.

scholarly journals Collagen molecular phenotypic switch between non-neoplastic and neoplastic canine mammary tissues

2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Masahiko Terajima ◽  
Yuki Taga ◽  
Becky K. Brisson ◽  
Amy C. Durham ◽  
Kotaro Sato ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Breast Cancer ◽  
Mammary Gland ◽  
Mammary Carcinoma ◽  
Cancer Biology ◽  
Type I Collagen ◽  
Critical Role ◽  
Premature Death ◽  
Mammary Tissue ◽  
Type I ◽  
Cross Links

AbstractIn spite of major advances over the past several decades in diagnosis and treatment, breast cancer remains a global cause of morbidity and premature death for both human and veterinary patients. Due to multiple shared clinicopathological features, dogs provide an excellent model of human breast cancer, thus, a comparative oncology approach may advance our understanding of breast cancer biology and improve patient outcomes. Despite an increasing awareness of the critical role of fibrillar collagens in breast cancer biology, tumor-permissive collagen features are still ill-defined. Here, we characterize the molecular and morphological phenotypes of type I collagen in canine mammary gland tumors. Canine mammary carcinoma samples contained longer collagen fibers as well as a greater population of wider fibers compared to non-neoplastic and adenoma samples. Furthermore, the total number of collagen cross-links enriched in the stable hydroxylysine-aldehyde derived cross-links was significantly increased in neoplastic mammary gland samples compared to non-neoplastic mammary gland tissue. The mass spectrometric analyses of type I collagen revealed that in malignant mammary tumor samples, lysine residues, in particular those in the telopeptides, were markedly over-hydroxylated in comparison to non-neoplastic mammary tissue. The extent of glycosylation of hydroxylysine residues was comparable among the groups. Consistent with these data, expression levels of genes encoding lysyl hydroxylase 2 (LH2) and its molecular chaperone FK506-binding protein 65 were both significantly increased in neoplastic samples. These alterations likely lead to an increase in the LH2-mediated stable collagen cross-links in mammary carcinoma that may promote tumor cell metastasis in these patients.

scholarly journals Transcriptional coregualtor NUPR1 maintains tamoxifen resistance in breast cancer cells

2021 ◽  
Vol 12 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Lingling Wang ◽  
Jiashen Sun ◽  
Yueyuan Yin ◽  
Yanan Sun ◽  
Jinyi Ma ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Breast Cancer ◽  
Cancer Cells ◽  
Breast Cancer Cells ◽  
Critical Role ◽  
Endocrine Resistance ◽  
Autophagic Flux ◽  
Physical Interaction ◽  
Premature Senescence ◽  
Breast Cancers ◽  
Transcriptional Coregulator

AbstractTo support cellular homeostasis and mitigate chemotherapeutic stress, cancer cells must gain a series of adaptive intracellular processes. Here we identify that NUPR1, a tamoxifen (Tam)-induced transcriptional coregulator, is necessary for the maintenance of Tam resistance through physical interaction with ESR1 in breast cancers. Mechanistically, NUPR1 binds to the promoter regions of several genes involved in autophagy process and drug resistance such as BECN1, GREB1, RAB31, PGR, CYP1B1, and regulates their transcription. In Tam-resistant ESR1 breast cancer cells, NUPR1 depletion results in premature senescence in vitro and tumor suppression in vivo. Moreover, enforced-autophagic flux augments cytoplasmic vacuolization in NUPR1-depleted Tam resistant cells, which facilitates the transition from autophagic survival to premature senescence. Collectively, these findings suggest a critical role for NUPR1 as a transcriptional coregulator in enabling endocrine persistence of breast cancers, thus providing a vulnerable diagnostic and/or therapeutic target for endocrine resistance.

scholarly journals Transcriptome profiles of stem-like cells from primary breast cancers allow identification of ITGA7 as a predictive marker of chemotherapy response

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Noha Gwili ◽  
Stacey J. Jones ◽  
Waleed Al Amri ◽  
Ian M. Carr ◽  
Sarah Harris ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Breast Cancer ◽  
Cancer Cells ◽  
Breast Cancer Cells ◽  
Predictive Marker ◽  
Therapy Resistance ◽  
Differentially Expressed ◽  
Molecular Profile ◽  
Chemotherapy Response ◽  
Breast Cancers

Abstract Background Breast cancer stem cells (BCSCs) are drivers of therapy-resistance, therefore are responsible for poor survival. Molecular signatures of BCSCs from primary cancers remain undefined. Here, we identify the consistent transcriptome of primary BCSCs shared across breast cancer subtypes, and we examine the clinical relevance of ITGA7, one of the genes differentially expressed in BCSCs. Methods Primary BCSCs were assessed using immunohistochemistry and fluorescently labelled using Aldefluor (n = 17). Transcriptomes of fluorescently sorted BCSCs and matched non-stem cancer cells were determined using RNA-seq (n = 6). ITGA7 expression was examined in breast cancers using immunohistochemistry (n = 305), and its functional role was tested using siRNA in breast cancer cells. Results Proportions of BCSCs varied from 0 to 9.4%. 38 genes were significantly differentially expressed in BCSCs; genes were enriched for functions in vessel morphogenesis, motility, and metabolism. ITGA7 was found to be significantly downregulated in BCSCs, and low expression significantly correlated with reduced survival in patients treated with chemotherapy, and with chemoresistance in breast cancer cells in vitro. Conclusions This study is the first to define the molecular profile of BCSCs from a range of primary breast cancers. ITGA7 acts as a predictive marker for chemotherapy response, in accordance with its downregulation in BCSCs.

scholarly journals Learning deep features for dead and living breast cancer cell classification without staining

2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Gisela Pattarone ◽  
Laura Acion ◽  
Marina Simian ◽  
Emmanuel Iarussi
Keyword(s):  
Breast Cancer ◽  
Machine Learning ◽  
Drug Treatment ◽  
Cancer Cells ◽  
Cancer Cell ◽  
Breast Cancer Cell ◽  
Cancer Biology ◽  
Breast Cancer Cells ◽  
Bright Field ◽  
Cell Classification

AbstractAutomated cell classification in cancer biology is a challenging topic in computer vision and machine learning research. Breast cancer is the most common malignancy in women that usually involves phenotypically diverse populations of breast cancer cells and an heterogeneous stroma. In recent years, automated microscopy technologies are allowing the study of live cells over extended periods of time, simplifying the task of compiling large image databases. For instance, there have been several studies oriented towards building machine learning systems capable of automatically classifying images of different cell types (i.e. motor neurons, stem cells). In this work we were interested in classifying breast cancer cells as live or dead, based on a set of automatically retrieved morphological characteristics using image processing techniques. Our hypothesis is that live-dead classification can be performed without any staining and using only bright-field images as input. We tackled this problem using the JIMT-1 breast cancer cell line that grows as an adherent monolayer. First, a vast image set composed by JIMT-1 human breast cancer cells that had been exposed to a chemotherapeutic drug treatment (doxorubicin and paclitaxel) or vehicle control was compiled. Next, several classifiers were trained based on well-known convolutional neural networks (CNN) backbones to perform supervised classification using labels obtained from fluorescence microscopy images associated with each bright-field image. Model performances were evaluated and compared on a large number of bright-field images. The best model reached an AUC = 0.941 for classifying breast cancer cells without treatment. Furthermore, it reached AUC = 0.978 when classifying breast cancer cells under drug treatment. Our results highlight the potential of machine learning and computational image analysis to build new diagnosis tools that benefit the biomedical field by reducing cost, time, and stimulating work reproducibility. More importantly, we analyzed the way our classifiers clusterize bright-field images in the learned high-dimensional embedding and linked these groups to salient visual characteristics in live-dead cell biology observed by trained experts.

scholarly journals Use of Proton Pump Inhibitors as Adjunct Treatment for Triple-Negative Breast Cancers. An Introductory Study

2014 ◽  
Vol 17 (3) ◽  
pp. 439 ◽  
Author(s):  
Wayne Goh ◽  
Inna Sleptsova-Freidrich ◽  
Nenad Petrovic
Keyword(s):  
Breast Cancer ◽  
Cancer Treatment ◽  
Cancer Cells ◽  
Proton Pump ◽  
Triple Negative Breast Cancer ◽  
Triple Negative ◽  
Dependent Manner ◽  
Breast Cancers ◽  
Gastric Type ◽  
Dose Dependent

PURPOSE: Triple negative breast cancers (estrogen, progesterone and human epidermal growth factor 2 (HER2) receptor-negative) are among the most aggressive forms of cancers with limited treatment options. Doxorubicin is one of the agents found in many of the current cancer treatment protocols, although its use is limited by dose-dependent cardiotoxicity. This work investigates one of the ways to suppress cancer growth by inhibiting tumor cell ability to remove acid accumulated during its metabolism by proton pump inhibitor esomeprazole (a drug with extensive clinical use) which could serve as an addition to doxorubicin therapy. METHODS: In this work, we have investigated growth suppression of triple-negative breast cancer cells MDA-MB-468 by esomeprazole and doxorubicin by trypan blue exclusion assay. Measurement of acidification of treated cancer cells was performed using intracellular pH-sensitive probe, BCECF-AM. Finally, expression of gastric type proton pump (H+/K+ ATPase, a target for esomeprazole) on MDA-MB-468 cells was detected by immunofluorescence and Western blotting. RESULTS: We have found that esomeprazole suppresses growth of triple-negative breast cancer cell in vitro in a dose-dependent manner through increase in their intracellular acidification. In contrast, esomeprazole did not have significant effect on non-cancerous breast epithelial MCF-10A cells. Esomeprazole increases doxorubicin effects suggesting that dual treatments might be possible. In addition, response of MDA-MB-468 cells to esomeprazole could be mediated by gastric type proton pump (H+/K+ ATPase) in cancer cells contrary to previous beliefs that this proton pump expression is restricted to parietal cells of the stomach epithelia. CONCLUSION: This study provides first evidence that adjunct use of esomeprazole in breast cancer treatment might be a possible to combat adverse effects of doxorubicin and increase its effectiveness. This article is open to POST-PUBLICATION REVIEW. Registered readers (see “For Readers”) may comment by clicking on ABSTRACT on the issue’s contents page.

scholarly journals Spot 14: A Marker of Aggressive Breast Cancer and a Potential Therapeutic Target

Endocrinology ◽  
2006 ◽  
Vol 147 (9) ◽  
pp. 4048-4055 ◽  
Author(s):  
William B. Kinlaw ◽  
Jennifer L. Quinn ◽  
Wendy A. Wells ◽  
Christopher Roser-Jones ◽  
Joel T. Moncur
Keyword(s):  
Breast Cancer ◽  
Cancer Cells ◽  
Therapeutic Target ◽  
Milk Fat ◽  
Breast Cancer Cells ◽  
De Novo ◽  
Lipid Synthesis ◽  
Breast Cancers ◽  
Spot 14 ◽  
Aggressive Breast Cancer

Spot 14 (S14) is a nuclear protein that communicates the status of dietary fuels and fuel-related hormones to genes required for long-chain fatty acid synthesis. In mammary gland, S14 is important for both epithelial proliferation and milk fat production. The S14 gene is amplified in some breast cancers and is strongly expressed in most. High expression of S14 in primary invasive breast cancer is conspicuously predictive of recurrence. S14 mediates the induction of lipogenesis by progestin in breast cancer cells and accelerates their growth. Conversely, S14 knockdown impairs de novo lipid synthesis and causes apoptosis. We found that breast cancer cells do not express lipoprotein lipase (LPL) and hypothesize that they do not have access to circulating lipids unless the local environment supplies it. This may explain why primary breast cancers with low S14 do not survive transit from the LPL-rich mammary fat pad to areas devoid of LPL, such as lymph nodes, and thus do not appear as distant metastases. Thus, S14 is a marker for aggressive breast cancer and a potential target as well. Future effort will center on validation of S14 as a therapeutic target and producing antagonists of its action.

scholarly journals Autophagy Inhibition Induces the Secretion of Macrophage Migration Inhibitory Factor (MIF) with Autocrine and Paracrine Effects on the Promotion of Malignancy in Breast Cancer

Biology ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 9 (1) ◽  
pp. 20 ◽  
Author(s):  
Israel Cotzomi-Ortega ◽  
Arely Rosas-Cruz ◽  
Dalia Ramírez-Ramírez ◽  
Julio Reyes-Leyva ◽  
Miriam Rodriguez-Sosa ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Breast Cancer ◽  
Cancer Cells ◽  
Migration Inhibitory Factor ◽  
Macrophage Migration Inhibitory Factor ◽  
Cell Types ◽  
Inhibitory Factor ◽  
Macrophage Migration ◽  
Breast Cancers ◽  
Paracrine Effects ◽  
Autophagy Inhibition

Breast cancer is the main cause of cancer-related death in women in the world. Because autophagy is a known survival pathway for cancer cells, its inhibition is currently being explored in clinical trials for treating several types of malignancies. In breast cancer, autophagy has been shown to be necessary for the survival of cancer cells from the triple negative subtype (TNBC), which has the worst prognosis among breast cancers and currently has limited therapeutic options. Autophagy has also been involved in the regulation of protein secretion and, of importance for this work, the inhibition of autophagy is known to promote the secretion of proinflammatory cytokines from distinct cell types. We found that the inhibition of autophagy in TNBC cell lines induced the secretion of the macrophage migration inhibitory factor (MIF), a pro-tumorigenic cytokine involved in breast cancer invasion and immunomodulation. MIF secretion was dependent on an increase in reactive oxygen species (ROS) induced by the inhibition of autophagy. Importantly, MIF secreted from autophagy-deficient cells increased the migration of cells not treated with autophagy inhibitors, indicating that autophagy inhibition in cancer cells promoted malignancy in neighboring cells through the release of secreted factors, and that a combinatorial approach should be evaluated for cancer therapy.

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