Breast tissue is dynamic, changing over time during puberty, pregnancy, lactation, and aging. The article, published today in the journal
focuses on the changes that take place during lactation by investigating the cells found in breast milk.
This study, led by CSCI’s Dr. Alecia-Jane Twigger, found that cells in milk, once thought to be dead or dying, were in fact very much alive. These live cells offer researchers the opportunity to study not only the changes that occur in mammary gland tissues during lactation, but also gain insight into a potential early marker about future breast cancer development.
“I believe that by studying human milk cells, we will be able to answer some of the most basic questions surrounding mammary gland function such as: how is milk produced? Why are some and what strategies can be used to improve breastfeeding outcomes for women?” Dr Alecia-Jane Twigger at Wellcome-MRC Cambridge Stem Cell Institute , said the study lead.
The researchers collected voluntary breast milk samples from breastfeeding women, as well as donated non-breastfeeding breast tissue samples from pregnant women for cosmetic breast reduction surgery. Using single-cell RNA sequence analysis, the team conducted a novel comparison of the composition of mammary cells obtained with these two methods, identifying differences between lactating human mammary glands and do not breastfeed.
While access to breast tissue for research relies on donors who have undergone surgery, collecting breast milk samples is much simpler.
Breast milk donors were engaged through midwives or women’s networks (a commitment made more difficult due to the pandemic) and agreed to share their samples over time. Typical daily output for a nursing woman is between 750-800ml, and the average sample size for Twigger’s study is just 50ml, an amount that can contain hundreds of thousands of cells to study.
By collecting these samples donated by lactating women – samples currently known to contain viable and living cells – researchers have the opportunity to collect dynamic cells in a non-invasive manner. encroachment. Easier access to breast cells could open the door to more women’s health research in the future.
“The first time Alecia told me she had found living cells in milk, I was surprised and excited about the possibility. We hope this finding will enable future studies of other types of cancer. early stages of breast cancer,” said Dr. Walid Khaled, at Wellcome-MRC. The Cambridge Stem Cell Institute and the University of Cambridge’s Department of Pharmacy, who were also involved in the study.
This paper and its findings are part of the Human Breast Cell Mapping project funded by the MRC.
Source: Newswise
