In-silico insights on the prognostic potential of immune cell infiltration patterns in the breast lobular epithelium.
Fiche publication
Date publication
septembre 2016
Journal
Scientific reports
Auteurs
Membres identifiés du Cancéropôle Est :
Pr WEMMERT Cédric
Tous les auteurs :
Alfonso JC, Schaadt NS, Schönmeyer R, Brieu N, Forestier G, Wemmert C, Feuerhake F, Hatzikirou H
Lien Pubmed
Résumé
Scattered inflammatory cells are commonly observed in mammary gland tissue, most likely in response to normal cell turnover by proliferation and apoptosis, or as part of immunosurveillance. In contrast, lymphocytic lobulitis (LLO) is a recurrent inflammation pattern, characterized by lymphoid cells infiltrating lobular structures, that has been associated with increased familial breast cancer risk and immune responses to clinically manifest cancer. The mechanisms and pathogenic implications related to the inflammatory microenvironment in breast tissue are still poorly understood. Currently, the definition of inflammation is mainly descriptive, not allowing a clear distinction of LLO from physiological immunological responses and its role in oncogenesis remains unclear. To gain insights into the prognostic potential of inflammation, we developed an agent-based model of immune and epithelial cell interactions in breast lobular epithelium. Physiological parameters were calibrated from breast tissue samples of women who underwent reduction mammoplasty due to orthopedic or cosmetic reasons. The model allowed to investigate the impact of menstrual cycle length and hormone status on inflammatory responses to cell turnover in the breast tissue. Our findings suggested that the immunological context, defined by the immune cell density, functional orientation and spatial distribution, contains prognostic information previously not captured by conventional diagnostic approaches.
Référence
Sci Rep. 2016 Sep 23;6:33322