Stallings‐Mann, Melody

Abstract Introduction: CD56+ lymphocytes (a defining marker of natural killer cells) have a predominantly cytotoxic phenotype and a hypothetical role in breast tumor immunosurveillance. Here we investigate whether CD56+ staining density varies in nonmalignant breast lobules according to confirmed breast cancer risk factors- age, and histologic features of fibrocystic change and lobular involution. Methods: Archived breast tissue samples were obtained from 94 women with benign breast disease (BBD). The sample set was selected as a nested case-control study (47 cases, 47 controls) from within a large BBD cohort; cases were those who developed breast cancer subsequent to their benign breast biopsy; controls were matched to cases on age at biopsy, year of biopsy, and length of breast cancer free follow-up at least as long as the time-to-cancer in the matched case. Up to 10 representative lobules in each sample were characterized by H&E for fibrocystic changes and the degree of epithelial proliferation (normal, nonproliferative, proliferative, atypia) and for degree of lobular involution (none, partial, complete). Consecutive sections were immunostained for CD56 and hematoxylin. Using digital image analysis, CD56 staining was quantified on a per lobule basis by pixel ratio (PR) (positive stain:total lobule). Statistical analysis was performed using linear mixed effects regression on the rank transformed density to account for correlations among multiple lobules from the same patient in assessing the association of density with lobule characteristics and using conditional logistic regression for association with case-control status. Results: Among 94 women (median age 52, range 35-73), 876 lobules were evaluated: 431 in BBD cases and 445 in BBD controls. Overall, 391 lobules (45%) were normal and the remaining 485 (55%) demonstrated fibrocystic changes. Among fibrocystic lobules, 247 (51%) had nonproliferative changes, 218 (45%) had epithelial proliferation, and 20 (4%) had atypical hyperplasia. Among normal lobules, 61 (16%) had no involution, 139 (36%) had partial involution, and 191 (49%) had complete involution. The vast majority of lobules (861/876, 98%) demonstrated presence of CD56+ cells, while only 15 of 876 lobules in 11 patients had zero CD56+ cells [7 cases (15%) versus 4 controls (8.5%) OR 1.75, p = 0.37]. The median CD56+ PR was 0.55% overall. Fibrocystic lobules as a group showed significantly lower median CD56+ PR compared to normal lobules (0.37% vs 0.85%, p < 0.0001). Among subcategories of fibrocystic lobules, the median CD56+ PR was lower in proliferative lobules (0.29%) compared to non-proliferative (0.42%), but this difference was not statistically significant (p = 0.55). Older women (age > 55) showed the highest CD56+ PR (median of 0.92%), as compared to 0.38% in women 45-55 (p=0.02), and 0.52% in women age <45 (p = 0.26). Among normal lobules, median CD56+ PR was similar between lobules with no involution (0.55%) and partial involution (0.52%) but was considerably higher among lobules with complete involution (1.3%, p = 0.09 and p = 0.05, respectively). In a multivariable model, CD56+ PR differences between fibrocystic and normal lobules remained significant (p = 0.0002) and also remained significant between age groups of > 55 and 45-55 (p = 0.02), while involution was non-significant. Median CD56+ PR was lower in cases (0.43%) compared to controls (0.72%), but this was not statistically significant (p=0.19) in our sample of 47 case-control pairs. Conclusions: Breast lobules with fibrocystic changes show less CD56+ cells, raising a question of possible immune suppression induced by early epithelial abnormalities. These findings encourage further investigation to improve understanding of the immune microenvironment in premalignant breast tissues. Citation Format: Rushin D. Brahmbhatt, Daniel Kerekes, Tanya L. Hoskin, Alvaro Pena, Daniel W. Visscher, Melody L. Stallings-Mann, Derek C. Radisky, Linda M. Murphy, Vernon Shane Pankratz, Keith L. Knutson, Marlene Frost, Amy C. Degnim. CD56+ immune cell infiltration is decreased in benign breast lobules with fibrocystic changes. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the Thirteenth Annual AACR International Conference on Frontiers in Cancer Prevention Research; 2014 Sep 27-Oct 1; New Orleans, LA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Can Prev Res 2015;8(10 Suppl): Abstract nr B34.

Abstract Purpose: Breast biopsies with benign findings (benign breast disease [BBD]) outnumber biopsies revealing in-situ or invasive cancer 4:1, providing an opportunity to identify histopathological features that predict breast cancer risk. Greater degrees of involution of terminal duct lobular units (TDLUs), the structures within the breast that produce milk and the primary source of breast cancer precursors, have been inversely associated with breast cancer risk among women with BBD. We recently developed measures to quantitate levels of TDLU involution, which demonstrate high inter/intra pathologist reproducibility. Here we assessed whether TDLU counts/100mm2 and median TDLU span (microns), two measures inversely related to degree of TDLU involution, are associated with subsequent breast cancer risk among women with BBD. Methods: From the Mayo BBD cohort (n = 9,376), we evaluated benign biopsies from 99 women who later developed breast cancer (cases) and 145 age-matched controls who did not develop breast cancer. Digitized images of biopsy sections were reviewed to enumerate TDLUs/mm2 and measure median TDLU span (microns) for up to ten normal TDLUs. Breast cancer risk factors were available from questionnaires or medical records. To assess associations with breast cancer risk, subjects were categorized into quartile levels of TDLU counts and median TDLU spans, based on data from controls. Odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) were estimated using multivariable conditional logistic regression models, adjusted for histologic type of BBD, family history of breast cancer and menopausal hormone use. Results: Compared to controls, women who developed breast cancer had higher median number of TDLU counts/100mm2 (28 vs 20, p = 0.03) and larger TDLU spans (300 vs 267 microns, p = 0.14). In multivariable models higher TDLU counts (quartile4 vs. quartile1, OR = 2.44, 95%CI = 0.96-6.19, ptrend = 0.02) and larger TDLU span measures (quartile4 vs. quartile1, OR = 2.83, 95%CI = 1.13-7.06, ptrend = 0.03) were associated with subsequent diagnosis of breast cancer. Combinatorial metrics of TDLU counts with median TDLU span measures identified women at higher risk; specifically, women above the median for both TDLU span and TDLU counts had an OR = 3.75 (95%CI = 1.40-10.00, ptrend = 0.008), compared with women below the median for TDLU span and TDLU counts. Conclusion: These data show that lack of TDLU involution, as measured by increased persistence of TDLU counts, larger median TDLU spans and cross-classification using these measures was associated with increased breast cancer risk among women with BBD, extending prior work in this cohort based on other TDLU involution metrics. Future studies to identify determinants of TDLU involution, its association with breast cancer risk and its potential as an intermediate endpoint in prevention studies warrant consideration. Citation Format: Jonine D. Figueroa, Ruth Pfeiffer, Maya Palakal, Amy C. Degnim, Derek Radisky, Lynn C. Hartmann, Marlene Frost, Melody L. Stallings Mann, Louise A. Brinton, Daphne Papathomas, Daniel Visscher, Mark E. Sherman. Standardized measures of lobular involution and subsequent breast cancer risk among women with benign breast disease. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 106th Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2015 Apr 18-22; Philadelphia, PA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2015;75(15 Suppl):Abstract nr 4682. doi:10.1158/1538-7445.AM2015-4682

Abstract Introduction: The role of macrophages in the tumor microenvironment is of increasing interest for tumor progression and invasion. Here we investigated the difference in CD68+ cell density in tissue samples from women with Benign Breast Disease (BBD) and women with no clinical breast disease from the Komen Tissue Bank (KTB) at Indiana University. Method: Archived breast tissue samples from women with BBD and no clinical breast disease were obtained for this age-matched case-control study. BBD samples included cases [later got Breast Cancer (BC)] and controls (did not get BC). Samples were characterized via H&E stain for epithelial proliferation [normal (N), fibrocystic non-proliferative (NP), proliferative (P), or atypia (A)]. CD68+ cell density was obtained by digital image quantitation on a per lobule basis (Total CD68+ cells/mm2). Statistical analysis was performed with mixed effects regression. Results: Among 276 women (median age 53, range 35-79) comprising 92 age-matched triplets, 2508 lobules were evaluated [789 KTB, 839 BBD case, 880 BBD control]. 1407 (56%) lobules were normal and 1101 (44%) were fibrocystic {NP [613 (56%)], P [448 (41%)] and A [40 (4%)]}. Out of 2508 lobules analyzed, 2362 (94%) had CD68+ cells, while 146 (6%) showed zero CD68+ cells [19 (2%) BBD cases, 20 (2%) BBD controls, 107 (14%) KTB, p<0.0001]. KTB samples showed significantly lower (p<0.0001) CD68+ density (median 136 cells/mm2) as compared to BBD cases (median 313 cells/mm2) and BBD controls (median 299 cells/mm2). (See Table) For each lobule type, KTB samples had lower CD68+ density compared with the same lobule type in BBD samples (p<0.0001). Conclusion: CD68+ cells are more frequent in breast lobules from women with BBD compared to normal donors. This finding in premalignant breast tissues is consistent with inflammation as a driver of tumorigenesis. BBD case (n = 92 patients)BBD control (n = 92 patients)KTB(n = 92 patients)n lobulesMedian (IQR)n lobulesMedian (IQR)n lobulesMedian (IQR)Overall839313 (165 - 538)880299 (164 - 527)789136 (55 - 272)By Lobule TypeNormal344310 (177 - 557)434331 (177 - 567)629128 (55 - 255)All non-normal/fibrocystic lobules combined495314 (157 - 527)446274 (152 - 478)160159 (58 - 393)Fibrocystic non-proliferative231319 (153 - 543)263274 (140 - 496)119163 (71 - 359)Fibrocystic proliferative246295 (153 - 496)169277 (153 - 478)33128 (30 - 385)Atypia18484 (313 - 739)14260 (223 - 375)8216 (0 - 493)IQR - Interquartile range (25th percentile - 75th percentile) Citation Format: Muhammad A. Arshad, Daniel W. Visscher, Tanya L. Hoskin, Rushin D. Brahmbhatt, Alvaro Pena Jimenez, Melody L. Stallings Mann, Erin E. Miller, Linda M. Murphy, Jodi M. Carter, Stacey J. Winham, Keith L. Knutson, Derek C. Radisky, Amy C. Degnim. CD68+ immune cells show different infiltration patterns in tissue samples from women with no clinical breast disease and those who have benign breast disease. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 106th Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2015 Apr 18-22; Philadelphia, PA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2015;75(15 Suppl):Abstract nr 2364. doi:10.1158/1538-7445.AM2015-2364

Abstract Introduction: Histologic characteristics of nonmalignant breast tissues (epithelial proliferation and involution) are associated with future breast cancer (BC) risk. We evaluated immune infiltration (lobulitis) in benign breast lobules and its association with features of BC risk. Methods: We analyzed archived nonmalignant breast tissue samples from 81 women in age-matched groups of varying cancer risk: 27 with benign breast disease (BBD) who later developed BC (cases), 27 with BBD without subsequent BC (controls), and 27 normal women without clinical breast disease from the Komen Tissue Bank at Indiana University (KTB). Up to 10 lobules in each sample were characterized by H&E for lobulitis, involution (none, partial, complete), and fibrocystic (FC) status (normal, nonproliferative, proliferative). Lobulitis was defined by H&E staining as lymphocyte nuclei in the intralobular stroma at low magnification and between adjacent acini at high magnification. Data was analyzed by mixed effects logistic regression. Results: Median age was 57 years (range 37-70). Among 81 breast tissue samples, 750 lobules were evaluated: 249 in BBD Cases, 265 in BBD Controls, and 236 in KTB donors. 56% of lobules were normal and 44% were FC, with 87% of FC lobules occurring in BBD samples. Lobulitis was present in 44% of lobules and varied according to subject age and individual lobule features. Younger women were more likely to have lobulitis (p=0.002); among women <50 the median proportion of lobules with lobulitis was 50%, versus 30% among women 50+. Lobulitis was less frequent in lobules with complete involution (37%) compared to partial (74%) or no involution (84%), p<0.0001. Lobulitis was common in normal lobules (52%) and decreased with increasing epithelial abnormality-39% of nonproliferative lobules and 27% of proliferative lobules (p<0.0001). In multivariate analysis including all 3 variables, all 3 remained significantly associated with lobulitis: age (p=0.03), proliferation (p<0.0001), and involution (p=0.0001). Lobules with lobulitis were less frequent in groups of women with increased breast cancer risk-55% of lobules in normal KTB samples, 43% in BBD controls, and 35% in BBD cases (p = 0.02). Conclusion: Lobulitis is common in normal and benign breast tissue lobules but varies with age, involution status, and epithelial abnormality. Further work is needed to understand the role of immune infiltrates in breast cancer risk. Citation Format: Rushin D. Brahmbhatt, Daniel W. Visscher, Tanya L. Hoskin, Derek C. Radisky, Linda M. Murphy, Melody L. Stallings Mann, Erin Miller, Vernon S. Pankratz, Lynn C. Hartmann, Marlene H. Frost, Amy C. Degnim. Immune infiltration of normal and benign breast lobules varies in breast tissues based on cancer risk. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 105th Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2014 Apr 5-9; San Diego, CA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2014;74(19 Suppl):Abstract nr 1652. doi:10.1158/1538-7445.AM2014-1652

Rac1b mediates the matrix metalloproteinase–induced epithelial-mesenchymal transition in lung adenocarcinoma and is a potential therapeutic target in early-stage lung cancer.

Abstract During development, epithelial cells acquire mesenchymal characteristics through a process known as epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT). Substantial evidence now exists that EMT-related processes play a major role in tumor progression. EMT is a focus of interest in lung cancer as loss of E-cadherin expression confers increased resistance to several types of chemotherapy. In previous studies, we found that matrix metalloproteinase-3 (MMP3) induced EMT in mouse mammary epithelial cells through induction of Rac1b, an alternatively spliced isoform of Rac1. We now show that exposure to MMPs stimulates Rac1b and induction of EMT markers in human lung cancer cell lines, and that knockdown of Rac1b blocks MMP induced EMT. We also show that Rac1b expression levels in human lung tumor biopsies is predictive of patient outcome, and that Rac1b and MMP expression levels are correlated in these samples, suggesting a direct relationship. We also describe the generation of new transgenic mouse models for which MMP3 or Rac1b is inducibly expressed in lung epithelial cells; activation of kRAS in these mice reveals that expression of MMP3 or Rac1b promotes increased tumor number, size, and progression to adenocarcinoma as well as increased expression of EMT markers vimentin, sm-actin, col1a1, and Snail. We also show that expression of Rac1b in lung epithelial cells leads to spontaneous adenocarcinoma formation. These results demonstrate a direct linkage between induction of EMT and tumor progression, implicate Rac1b as a key mediator of these processes, and demonstrate that MMPs can directly stimulate all of these events. Citation Format: {Authors}. {Abstract title} [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 101st Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2010 Apr 17-21; Washington, DC. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2010;70(8 Suppl):Abstract nr 2318.

Abstract We recently showed that atypical protein kinase Cι (PKCι) is required for transformed growth of human non–small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) cells by activating Rac1. Genetic disruption of PKCι signaling blocks Rac1 activity and transformed growth, indicating that PKCι is a viable target for development of novel therapeutics for NSCLC. Here, we designed and implemented a novel fluorescence resonance energy transfer–based assay to identify inhibitors of oncogenic PKCι signaling. This assay was used to identify compounds that disrupt the interaction between PKCι and its downstream effector Par6, which links PKCι to Rac1. We identified aurothioglucose (ATG), a gold compound used clinically to treat rheumatoid arthritis, and the related compound, aurothiomalate (ATM), as potent inhibitors of PKCι-Par6 interactions in vitro (IC50 ∼1 μmol/L). ATG blocks PKCι-dependent signaling to Rac1 and inhibits transformed growth of NSCLC cells. ATG-mediated inhibition of transformation is relieved by expression of constitutively active Rac1, consistent with a mechanism at the level of the interaction between PKCι and Par6. ATG inhibits A549 cell tumor growth in nude mice, showing efficacy against NSCLC in a relevant preclinical model. Our data show the utility of targeting protein-protein interactions involving PKCι for antitumor drug development and provide proof of concept that chemical disruption of PKCι signaling can be an effective treatment for NSCLC. ATG and ATM will be useful reagents for studying PKCι function in transformation and represent promising new agents for the clinical treatment of NSCLC. (Cancer Res 2006; 66(3): 1767-74)

ABSTRACT Globoid cell leukodystrophy (GLD) or Krabbe disease is a devastating, degenerative neurological disorder caused by mutations in the galactosylceramidase (GALC) gene that severely affect enzyme activity. Currently, treatment options for this disorder are very limited. Enzyme replacement therapy (ERT) has been shown to be effective in lysosomal storage disorders with predominantly peripheral manifestations such as type I Gaucher's and Fabry's disease. Little however is known about the possible benefit of ERT in GLD, which has a substantial central nervous system component. In this study, we examined the effect of peripheral GALC injections in the twitcher mouse model of the disease. Although we were unable to block the precipitous decline that normally occurs just before death, we did observe significant early improvements in motor performance, a substantial attenuation in the initial failure to thrive, and an increase in life span. Immunohistochemical and activity analyses demonstrated GALC uptake in multiple tissues, including the brain. This was associated with a decrease in the abnormal accumulation of the GALC substrate psychosine, which is thought to play a pivotal role in disease pathology. These results indicate that peripheral ERT is likely to be beneficial in GLD.