Objective
Understanding the functional interactions between mammary epithelium and its microenvironment, with a particular focus on the stem cell niche, represents a challenge for developmental and cancer biologists. Mammary epithelium is a bilayer, with a layer of luminal cells, producing milk, and a layer of basal myoepithelial cells. Both layers contain clonogenic stem/progenitor cells, which ensure the drastic epithelial expansion in puberty and pregnancy. Whilst basal stem cells are thought to be bipotent, luminal progenitors appear to be lineage-restricted in normal gland. Recent studies indicated that basal-like breast tumors, notably those with BRCA1 mutations, might originate from luminal progenitors. Our project aims to elucidate the role of integrin receptors for Laminin, major component of the mammary basement membrane, in the regulation of the luminal progenitor function during normal mammary development and tumorigenesis. To this end, α3 and α6 integrin chains were deleted from mammary luminal cells in vivo using CreLoxP system. Cre expression was driven to luminal progenitors by the Blg promoter, activated in this cell population in adult virgin mice and further on, during lobulo-alveolar development in pregnancy. The stem cell activity and the maintenance of the stem cell populations in mutant mammary glands will be analyzed at different developmental stages. Morphogenesis, proliferation, survival, differentiation as well as the regenerative and clonogenic potential of the mutant epithelium will be examined. We will study the cytoskeleton organization and the capacity of mutant cells for baso-apical polarization. To analyze the responses of integrin-depleted cells to hormones and growth factors at the molecular level, organotypic ex vivo cultures will be employed. The impact of Laminin-binding integrins on abnormal luminal progenitor amplification during tumor initiation will be tested in a mouse model of basal-like breast cancer induced by p53 and BRCA1 loss.
Fields of science (EuroSciVoc)
CORDIS classifies projects with EuroSciVoc, a multilingual taxonomy of fields of science, through a semi-automatic process based on NLP techniques. See: The European Science Vocabulary.
CORDIS classifies projects with EuroSciVoc, a multilingual taxonomy of fields of science, through a semi-automatic process based on NLP techniques. See: The European Science Vocabulary.
- medical and health sciences medical biotechnology cells technologies stem cells
- natural sciences biological sciences cell biology cell polarity
- medical and health sciences clinical medicine oncology breast cancer
- medical and health sciences clinical medicine obstetrics
- medical and health sciences clinical medicine oncology skin cancer basal cells
You need to log in or register to use this function
Keywords
Project’s keywords as indicated by the project coordinator. Not to be confused with the EuroSciVoc taxonomy (Fields of science)
Project’s keywords as indicated by the project coordinator. Not to be confused with the EuroSciVoc taxonomy (Fields of science)
Programme(s)
Multi-annual funding programmes that define the EU’s priorities for research and innovation.
Multi-annual funding programmes that define the EU’s priorities for research and innovation.
-
H2020-EU.1.3. - EXCELLENT SCIENCE - Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions
MAIN PROGRAMME
See all projects funded under this programme -
H2020-EU.1.3.2. - Nurturing excellence by means of cross-border and cross-sector mobility
See all projects funded under this programme
Topic(s)
Calls for proposals are divided into topics. A topic defines a specific subject or area for which applicants can submit proposals. The description of a topic comprises its specific scope and the expected impact of the funded project.
Calls for proposals are divided into topics. A topic defines a specific subject or area for which applicants can submit proposals. The description of a topic comprises its specific scope and the expected impact of the funded project.
Funding Scheme
Funding scheme (or “Type of Action”) inside a programme with common features. It specifies: the scope of what is funded; the reimbursement rate; specific evaluation criteria to qualify for funding; and the use of simplified forms of costs like lump sums.
Funding scheme (or “Type of Action”) inside a programme with common features. It specifies: the scope of what is funded; the reimbursement rate; specific evaluation criteria to qualify for funding; and the use of simplified forms of costs like lump sums.
MSCA-IF - Marie Skłodowska-Curie Individual Fellowships (IF)
See all projects funded under this funding scheme
Call for proposal
Procedure for inviting applicants to submit project proposals, with the aim of receiving EU funding.
Procedure for inviting applicants to submit project proposals, with the aim of receiving EU funding.
(opens in new window) H2020-MSCA-IF-2015
See all projects funded under this callCoordinator
Net EU financial contribution. The sum of money that the participant receives, deducted by the EU contribution to its linked third party. It considers the distribution of the EU financial contribution between direct beneficiaries of the project and other types of participants, like third-party participants.
75231 Paris
France
The total costs incurred by this organisation to participate in the project, including direct and indirect costs. This amount is a subset of the overall project budget.