Interaction Between Breast Cancer Cells and Adipose Tissue Cells Derived from Fat Grafting

Background Adipose tissue transplantation has the benefit of providing both regenerative and aesthetic outcomes in breast cancer treatment. However, the transplanted tissue can stimulate the growth of residual cancer cells. Objectives The aim of this study is to identify the interactions between adipose tissue cell subpopulations and human cancer cell lines. Methods Intact adipose tissue from lipofilling procedures as well as fibroblasts derived from adipose tissue, were cocultured in the presence of MDA-MB-231, MCF-7 e ZR-75-1 breast cancer cell lines. The influence on cancer cell lines of fibroblasts, induced to differentiate into specific adipocytes, was also assayed. Results All cancer cell lines displayed a significant increase in proliferation rate when cocultured in the presence of either intact adipose tissue or induced adipocytes. To a lesser extent, uninduced fibroblasts stimulate breast cancer cell proliferation. Conclusions Recent studies have shown that the microenvironment surrounding breast cancer cells may stimulate growth and promote progression of residual cancer cells when surgery is performed on the main tumor mass. Accordingly, the graft of adipose tissue could potentially promote or accelerate the development of a subclinical tumor or support its locoregional recurrence. Our data suggest that adipocytes have a remarkable influence on the proliferation of cancer cell lines. The oncological safety of the lipofilling procedure outcome is still debated; thus, further studies and consistent follow-up examination are needed

The Impact of Long-Term Exposure to Space Environment on Adult Mammalian Organisms: A Study on Mouse Thyroid and Testis

Hormonal changes in humans during spaceflight have been demonstrated but the underlying mechanisms are still unknown. To clarify this point thyroid and testis/epididymis, both regulated by anterior pituitary gland, have been analyzed on long-term space-exposed male C57BL/10 mice, either wild type or pleiotrophin transgenic, overexpressing osteoblast stimulating factor-1. Glands were submitted to morphological and functional analysis

Morphofunctional, viability and antioxidant system alterations on rat primary testicular cells exposed to simulated microgravity

This study focused on effects induced by short-term simulated microgravity (SMG) condition on primary cell culture from pre-pubertal Wistar rats testis. Cells were analyzed for cytoskeletal and Sex Hormone Binding Globulin (SHBG/ABP) changes by immunofluorescence technique, for antioxidant system exploiting RT-PCR and cell viability. Cells were cultured for 6 and 24h on a three-dimensional clinostat, Random Positioning Machine (RPM). At the end of each experiment, once stopped the RPM rotation, cells were either fixed in paraformaldehyde or lysed and RNA extracted. In cells exposed to SMG the cytoskeleton became disorganized, microtubules fragmented and SHBG was already undetectable after 6h of treatment. Moreover, various antioxidant systems significantly increased after 24h of SMG exposure. Initially, SMG seemed to disturb antioxidant protection strategies allowing the testes to support sperm production, thus generating an aging-like state of oxidative stress. Studies on changes induced by short-term altered gravity conditions, carried out in real microgravity, could give more information on steroidogenesis and germ cell differentiation within the testis exposed to this condition and confirm the validity of simulation approach