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Cadmium Exposure Inhibits Branching Morphogenesis and Causes Alterations Consistent With HIF-1α Inhibition in Human
Sabrina A Rocco1, Lada Koneva2, Lauren Y M Middleton1
1Department of Environmental Health Sciences, University of Michigan School of Public Health, Ann Arbor, Michigan 48109-2029.
Cadmium exposure inhibits human mammary stem cell proliferation and differentiation. This occurs at physiologically relevant doses, potentially by disrupting hypoxia-inducible factor-1α (HIF-1α) activity, impacting breast development.
Area of Science:
- Toxicology
- Developmental Biology
- Stem Cell Biology
Background:
- Developmental cadmium exposure disrupts mammary gland differentiation.
- Cadmium exposure induces epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) in breast cell lines.
- Effects of cadmium on normal human breast stem cells remain unquantified.
Purpose of the Study:
- Quantify cadmium's effects on human breast stem cell proliferation and differentiation.
- Investigate molecular mechanisms, including hypoxia-inducible factor (HIF)-1α activity.
Main Methods:
- Utilized mammosphere and organoid formation assays with patient-derived breast stem cells.
- Tested two physiologically relevant cadmium doses (0.25 and 2.5 µM).
- Employed RNA-sequencing (RNA-seq) and HIF-1α activity reporter assays.
Main Results:
- 2.5 µM cadmium reduced mammosphere (33%) and organoid (87%) formation.
- 0.25 µM cadmium inhibited organoid branching (73%) without affecting mammosphere formation.
- Cadmium altered gene expression, downregulating EMT markers and upregulating metal response genes, including HIF-1α targets.
Conclusions:
- Cadmium inhibits human mammary stem cell proliferation and differentiation at relevant exposure levels.
- Cadmium disrupts HIF-1α activity, contributing to observed effects on stem cell function.
- Findings highlight potential risks of cadmium exposure to breast development and health.
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