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Developing ovine mammary terminal duct lobular units have a dynamic mucosal and stromal immune microenvironment.

Accepted version
Peer-reviewed

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Authors

Nagy, Dorottya 
Gillis, Clare MC 
Davies, Katie 
Fowden, Abigail L 
Rees, Paul 

Abstract

The human breast and ovine mammary gland undergo striking levels of postnatal development, leading to formation of terminal duct lobular units (TDLUs). Here we interrogate aspects of sheep TDLU growth as a model of breast development and to increase understanding of ovine mammogenesis. The distributions of epithelial nuclear Ki67 positivity differ significantly between younger and older lambs. Ki67 expression is polarised to the leading edge of the developing TDLUs. Intraepithelial ductal macrophages exhibit periodicity and considerably increased density in lambs approaching puberty. Stromal macrophages are more abundant centrally than peripherally. Intraepithelial T lymphocytes are more numerous in older lambs. Stromal hotspots of Ki67 expression colocalize with immune cell aggregates that exhibit distinct organisation consistent with tertiary lymphoid structures. The lamb mammary gland thus exhibits a dynamic mucosal and stromal immune microenvironment and constitutes a valuable model system that provides new insights into postnatal breast development.

Description

Keywords

Animals, Female, Immunity, Mucosal, Macrophages, Mammary Glands, Animal, Sheep, Domestic, Stromal Cells

Journal Title

Commun Biol

Conference Name

Journal ISSN

2399-3642
2399-3642

Volume Title

4

Publisher

Springer Science and Business Media LLC

Rights

All rights reserved
Sponsorship
This work was supported by a grant from the British Veterinary Association Animal Welfare Foundation Norman Hayward Fund awarded to KH [grant number NHF_2016_03_KH]. JWW is grateful to Girton College and the University of Cambridge Herchel-Smith Fund for supporting him with Fellowships. The authors would like to acknowledge the UK Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (grant EP/H008683/1), and the UK Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (grant number BB/P026818/1), both awarded to PR, for supporting the work.