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Transcriptional changes in the mammary gland during lactation revealed by single cell sequencing of cells from human milk

Author

Listed:
  • Alecia-Jane Twigger

    (University of Cambridge
    Wellcome-MRC Cambridge Stem Cell Institute
    Helmholtz Zentrum München)

  • Lisa K. Engelbrecht

    (Helmholtz Zentrum München)

  • Karsten Bach

    (University of Cambridge
    Wellcome-MRC Cambridge Stem Cell Institute)

  • Isabel Schultz-Pernice

    (Helmholtz Zentrum München)

  • Sara Pensa

    (University of Cambridge
    Wellcome-MRC Cambridge Stem Cell Institute)

  • Jack Stenning

    (University of Cambridge
    Wellcome-MRC Cambridge Stem Cell Institute)

  • Stefania Petricca

    (Helmholtz Zentrum München
    LMU Munich)

  • Christina H. Scheel

    (Helmholtz Zentrum München
    Ruhr-University Bochum)

  • Walid T. Khaled

    (University of Cambridge
    Wellcome-MRC Cambridge Stem Cell Institute)

Abstract

Under normal conditions, the most significant expansion and differentiation of the adult mammary gland occurs in response to systemic reproductive hormones during pregnancy and lactation to enable milk synthesis and secretion to sustain the offspring. However, human mammary tissue remodelling that takes place during pregnancy and lactation remains poorly understood due to the challenge of acquiring samples. We report here single-cell transcriptomic analysis of 110,744 viable breast cells isolated from human milk or non-lactating breast tissue, isolated from nine and seven donors, respectively. We found that human milk largely contains epithelial cells belonging to the luminal lineage and a repertoire of immune cells. Further transcriptomic analysis of the milk cells identified two distinct secretory cell types that shared similarities with luminal progenitors, but no populations comparable to hormone-responsive cells. Taken together, our data offers a reference map and a window into the cellular dynamics that occur during human lactation and may provide further insights on the interplay between pregnancy, lactation and breast cancer.

Suggested Citation

  • Alecia-Jane Twigger & Lisa K. Engelbrecht & Karsten Bach & Isabel Schultz-Pernice & Sara Pensa & Jack Stenning & Stefania Petricca & Christina H. Scheel & Walid T. Khaled, 2022. "Transcriptional changes in the mammary gland during lactation revealed by single cell sequencing of cells from human milk," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 13(1), pages 1-12, December.
  • Handle: RePEc:nat:natcom:v:13:y:2022:i:1:d:10.1038_s41467-021-27895-0
    DOI: 10.1038/s41467-021-27895-0
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Bhupinder Pal & Yunshun Chen & François Vaillant & Paul Jamieson & Lavinia Gordon & Anne C. Rios & Stephen Wilcox & Naiyang Fu & Kevin He Liu & Felicity C. Jackling & Melissa J. Davis & Geoffrey J. Li, 2017. "Construction of developmental lineage relationships in the mouse mammary gland by single-cell RNA profiling," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 8(1), pages 1-14, December.
    2. Karsten Bach & Sara Pensa & Marta Grzelak & James Hadfield & David J. Adams & John C. Marioni & Walid T. Khaled, 2017. "Differentiation dynamics of mammary epithelial cells revealed by single-cell RNA sequencing," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 8(1), pages 1-11, December.
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    1. Kelsey E. Johnson & Nelmary Hernandez-Alvarado & Mark Blackstad & Timothy Heisel & Mattea Allert & David A. Fields & Elvira Isganaitis & Katherine M. Jacobs & Dan Knights & Eric F. Lock & Michael C. R, 2024. "Human cytomegalovirus in breast milk is associated with milk composition and the infant gut microbiome and growth," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 15(1), pages 1-15, December.

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