Stellate cells and mesenchymal stem cells in benign mammary stroma are associated with risk factors for breast cancer - an observational study
Abstract
It is not known whether stromal cells in benign breast tissue can mediate risk of breast cancer. We recently described aldehyde dehydrogenase 1 A1 (ALDH1) positive (+) cells in morphologically normal breast stroma of premenopausal women, and the data indicated that their distribution is associated with clinical risk factors for breast cancer. The aim of the present study was to define the identities of these cells using histologic and immunohistologic methods, and to investigate associations between those cells and hormonal and genetic risk factors in pre- and postmenopausal women. Stroma of morphologically normal tissue was analyzed in samples from 101 well-characterized women whose breasts had been operated. Morphology and immunolabeling were applied to determine cell identities based on the putative stem cell markers ALDH1 and stage-specific embryonic antigen-3 (SSEA3), and immunophenotypes indicating mast cells or stellate cells. The results were compared with the patients' risk factors using regression analysis (two-tailed). ALDH1+ round/oval cells were associated with low parity in BRCA1/2 carriers (p = 0.022), while in non-BRCA1/2-carriers they were negatively associated with nulliparity (p = 0.057). In premenopausal wom...Continue Reading
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