Gross Kayla, Wronski Ania, Skibinski Adam, Phillips Sarah, Kuperwasser Charlotte
Department of Developmental, Molecular and Chemical Biology, Sackler School of Graduate Biomedical Sciences, Tufts University School of Medicine, 136 Harrison Ave., Boston, MA 02111, USA; Raymond and Beverly Sackler Convergence Laboratory, Tufts University School of Medicine, 145 Harrison Ave., Boston, MA 02111, USA; Molecular Oncology Research Institute, Tufts Medical Center, 800 Washington St., Boston, MA 02111, USA.
Department of Developmental, Molecular and Chemical Biology, Sackler School of Graduate Biomedical Sciences, Tufts University School of Medicine, 136 Harrison Ave., Boston, MA 02111, USA; Molecular Oncology Research Institute, Tufts Medical Center, 800 Washington St., Boston, MA 02111, USA.
J Dev Biol. 2016 Mar 1;4(1):4. doi: 10.3390/jdb4010004. Epub 2016 Jan 22.
During the formation of breast cancer, many genes become altered as cells evolve progressively from normal to a pre-malignant to a malignant state of growth. How mutations in genes lead to specific subtypes of human breast cancer is only partially understood. Here we review how initial genetic or epigenetic alterations within mammary epithelial cells (MECs) can alter cell fate decisions and put pre-malignant cells on a path towards cancer development with specific phenotypes. Understanding the early stages of breast cancer initiation and progression and how normal developmental processes are hijacked during transformation has significant implications for improving early detection and prevention of breast cancer. In addition, insights gleaned from this understanding may also be important for developing subtype-specific treatment options.
在乳腺癌形成过程中，随着细胞从正常状态逐渐演变为癌前状态再到恶性生长状态，许多基因会发生改变。基因中的突变如何导致人类乳腺癌的特定亚型，目前仅得到部分理解。在此，我们综述乳腺上皮细胞（MECs）内最初的基因或表观遗传改变如何能够改变细胞命运决定，并使癌前细胞走上具有特定表型的癌症发展道路。了解乳腺癌起始和进展的早期阶段，以及在转化过程中正常发育过程是如何被劫持的，对于改善乳腺癌的早期检测和预防具有重要意义。此外，从这一理解中获得的见解对于开发亚型特异性治疗方案可能也很重要。
