NorMa: Normal mammary tissue and cancer development

­­NorMa – Normal Mammary tissue

Main objective:

Molecular studies on breast tissue from healthy women, with varying risk of breast cancer development.

Aim of study:

The study is defined in two set of aims; short-term aims and long-term aims.

1. Short-term aims:

• Reveal the differentiation route of epithelial cells
• Explore the pattern of development of different breast cancer sub-types
• Detect how the micro environment affect the differentiation of epithelial cells and cancer sub-type development

2. Long-term aims:

• Reveal the molecular profiles of normal breast tissue associated with increased risk of breast cancer development
• Achieve increased knowledge of breast cancer initiation and progression

Objects of investigation:

Three groups of women is investigated

• Group 1. Low-risk: Reduction mammoplastics
• Group 2. Increased-risk: Benign lesions
• Group 3. High-risk: a) Breast cancer patients (Ipsilateral, contralateral) b) Profylactic mastectomies

 Collected materials:

• Healthy breast tissue for isolation of viable cells/ organoids
• Healthy breast tissue (fresh-frozen)
• Tumor tissue (fresh-frozen)
• Biopsy from healthy tissue (contralateral)
• Blood samples (EDTA, plasma, serum)
• Skin (Ipsilateral, contralateral)  

Methods:

Micro enviroment (ME) arrays: What micro environment will cause the progenitor cells to differentiate into luminal or myoepithelial cells? 

Micro environment array. A plate with 384-wells is coated with a hydrophobic layer to permit protein adhesion. The ME-array is printed with 192 highly specific combinations of different micro environments. Epithelial progenitor cells are grown to allow differentiation.