Imagine beyond: recent breakthroughs and next challenges in mammary gland biology and breast cancer research
AbstractOn 8 December 2022 the organizing committee of the European Network for Breast Development and Cancer labs (ENBDC) held its fifth annual Think Tank meeting in Amsterdam, the Netherlands. Here, we embraced the opportunity to look back to identify the most prominent breakthroughs of the past ten years and to reflect on the main challenges that lie ahead for our field in the years to come. The outcomes of these discussions are presented in this position paper, in the hope that it will serve as a summary of the current state of affairs in mammary gland biology and breast cancer research for early career researchers and...
Source: Journal of Mammary Gland Biology and Neoplasia - July 14, 2023 Category: Cancer & Oncology Source Type: research

Gestational Breast Cancer – a Review of Outcomes, Pathophysiology, and Model Systems
AbstractThe onset of pregnancy marks the start of offspring development, and represents the key physiological event that induces re-organization and specialization of breast tissue. Such drastic tissue remodeling has also been linked to epithelial cell transformation and the establishment of breast cancer (BC). While patient outcomes for BC overall continue to improve across subtypes, prognosis remains dismal for patients with gestational breast cancer (GBC) and post-partum breast cancer (PPBC), as pregnancy and lactation pose additional complications and barriers to several gold standard clinical approaches. Moreover, del...
Source: Journal of Mammary Gland Biology and Neoplasia - July 14, 2023 Category: Cancer & Oncology Source Type: research

Studying Mammary Physiology and Pathology in Domestic Species Benefits Both Humans and Animals
(Source: Journal of Mammary Gland Biology and Neoplasia)
Source: Journal of Mammary Gland Biology and Neoplasia - July 14, 2023 Category: Cancer & Oncology Source Type: research

SFRP1 Expression is Inversely Associated With Metastasis Formation in Canine Mammary Tumours
ConclusionThe study identified SFRP1 as a potential biomarker for metastasis formation in CMTs, but lack of SFRP1 was not associated with reduced membrane-localisation of β-catenin in CMTs. (Source: Journal of Mammary Gland Biology and Neoplasia)
Source: Journal of Mammary Gland Biology and Neoplasia - July 4, 2023 Category: Cancer & Oncology Source Type: research

Deciphering Stromal Changes between Metastatic and Non-metastatic Canine Mammary Carcinomas
AbstractCancer-associated stroma (CAS) is widely recognized to influence development and progression of epithelial tumours including breast cancer. Canine mammary tumours (CMTs) such as simple canine mammary carcinomas represent valuable models for human breast cancer also with respect to stromal reprogramming. However, it remains unclear whether and how CAS changes in metastatic tumours compared to non-metastatic ones. To characterize stromal changes between metastatic and non-metastatic CMTs and identify potential drivers of tumour progression, we analysed CAS and matched normal stroma from 16 non-metastatic and 15 metas...
Source: Journal of Mammary Gland Biology and Neoplasia - July 1, 2023 Category: Cancer & Oncology Source Type: research

PI3K inhibition circumvents resistance to SHP2 blockade in metastatic triple-negative breast cancer
AbstractThe protein tyrosine phosphatase SHP2 activates oncogenic pathways downstream of most receptor tyrosine kinases (RTK) and has been implicated in various cancer types, including the highly aggressive subtype of triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC). Although allosteric inhibitors of SHP2 have been developed and are currently being evaluated in clinical trials, neither the mechanisms of the resistance to these agents, nor the means to circumvent such resistance have been  clearly defined. The PI3K signaling pathway is also hyperactivated in breast cancer and contributes to resistance to anticancer therapies. When PI3...
Source: Journal of Mammary Gland Biology and Neoplasia - June 9, 2023 Category: Cancer & Oncology Source Type: research

Molecular Characterization and Landscape of Breast cancer Models from a multi-omics Perspective
AbstractBreast cancer is well-known to be a highly heterogenous disease. This facet of cancer makes finding a research model that mirrors the disparate intrinsic features challenging. With advances in multi-omics technologies, establishing parallels between the various models and human tumors is increasingly intricate. Here we review the various model systems and their relation to primary breast tumors using available omics data platforms. Among the research models reviewed here, breast cancer cell lines have the least resemblance to human tumors since they have accumulated many mutations and copy number alterations during...
Source: Journal of Mammary Gland Biology and Neoplasia - June 3, 2023 Category: Cancer & Oncology Source Type: research

Longitudinal analysis of bovine mammary gland development
AbstractMany studies on bovine mammary glands focus on one stage of development. Often missing in those studies are repeated measures of development from the same animals. As milk production is directly affected by amount of parenchymal tissue within the udder, understanding mammary gland growth along with visualization of its structures during development is essential. Therefore, analysis of ultrasound and histology data from the same animals would result in better understanding of mammary development over time. Thus, this research aimed to describe mammary gland development using non-invasive and invasive tools to deline...
Source: Journal of Mammary Gland Biology and Neoplasia - May 30, 2023 Category: Cancer & Oncology Source Type: research

ERBB Receptors and Their Ligands in the Developing Mammary Glands of Different Species: Fifteen Characters in Search of an Author
AbstractThe ERBB tyrosine kinase receptors and their ligands belong to a complex family that has diverse biological effects and expression profiles in the developing mammary glands, where its members play an essential role in translating hormone signals into local effects. While our understanding of these processes stems mostly from mouse models, there is the potential for differences in how this family functions in the mammary glands of other species, particularly in light of their unique histomorphological features. Herein we review the postnatal distribution and function of ERBB receptors and their ligands in the mammar...
Source: Journal of Mammary Gland Biology and Neoplasia - May 23, 2023 Category: Cancer & Oncology Source Type: research