Phenotypic plasticity in normal breast derived epithelial cells

• Type of Material: Article
• Authors: Candice A. M. Sauder, Indiana University; Jillian E. Koziel, Indiana University; MiRan Choi, Northwestern University; Melanie J. Fox, Indiana University; Brenda R. Grimes, Indiana University; Sunil Badve, Emory University; Rachel J. Blosser, Indiana University; Milan Radovich, Indiana University; Christina C. Lam, University of Central Oklahoma; Melville B. Vaughan, University of Central Oklahoma; Brittney-Shea Herbert, Indiana University; Susan E. Clare, Northwestern University
• Language: English
• Date: 2014-06-10
• Publisher: BMC
• Publication Version: Final Published Version
• Copyright Statement: © 2014 Sauder et al.; licensee BioMed Central Ltd.
• License: Creative Commons Attribution 2.0 Generic
• Final Published Version (URL): http://dx.doi.org/10.1186/1471-2121-15-20
• Title of Journal or Parent Work: BMC CELL BIOLOGY
• Volume: 15
• Issue: 1
• Start Page: 20
• End Page: 20
• Grant/Funding Information: This work was funded by grants from Susan G. Komen for the Cure (SEC, SB, BH), Oracle Giving (SEC, BH), The Breast Cancer Research Foundation (MC, SEC), the Catherine Peachey Fund (MR, SEC), the Division of General Surgery, Department of Surgery, Indiana University School of Medicine (SEC, CAMS), a fellowship from the IUSCC Cancer Biology Training Program (JK), the IU Melvin and Bren Simon Cancer Center (IUSCC), and the Indiana Genomics Initiative (INGEN) supported in part by the Lilly Endowment, Inc. (BH, BRG, SEC). Publication costs were defrayed by donations received at the Solheim Pink Bow Luncheon in Lake Geneva, Wisconsin, USA. CAMS was the recipient of an NIH loan repayment award in Health Disparities Research.
• Keywords: Epithelium; RETINOIC ACID; CHONDROCYTES; Metaplasia; DIFFERENTIATION; Cell Biology; Basal; CYTOKERATINS; STEM-CELLS; GROWTH; IN-VITRO; Embryonic; Science & Technology; Life Sciences & Biomedicine; Squamous; MOUSE; EXPRESSION; Breast; TRANSFORMATION; Plasticity
• Research Categories: Health Sciences, Obstetrics and Gynecology; Health Sciences, Oncology; Biology, Cell

Abstract

Background: Normal, healthy human breast tissue from a variety of volunteer donors has become available for research thanks to the establishment of the Susan G. Komen for the Cure® Tissue Bank at the IU Simon Cancer Center (KTB). Multiple epithelial (K-HME) and stromal cells (K-HMS) were established from the donated tissue. Explant culture was utilized to isolate the cells from pieces of breast tissue. Selective media and trypsinization were employed to select either epithelial cells or stromal cells. The primary, non-transformed epithelial cells, the focus of this study, were characterized by immunohistochemistry, flow cytometry, and in vitro cell culture.Results: All of the primary, non-transformed epithelial cells tested have the ability to differentiate in vitro into a variety of cell types when plated in or on biologic matrices. Cells identified include stratified squamous epithelial, osteoclasts, chondrocytes, adipocytes, neural progenitors/neurons, immature muscle and melanocytes. The cells also express markers of embryonic stem cells.Conclusions: The cell culture conditions employed select an epithelial cell that is pluri/multipotent. The plasticity of the epithelial cells developed mimics that seen in metaplastic carcinoma of the breast (MCB), a subtype of triple negative breast cancer; and may provide clues to the origin of this particularly aggressive type of breast cancer. The KTB is a unique biorepository, and the normal breast epithelial cells isolated from donated tissue have significant potential as new research tools.