Maternal ancestry reveals cyclical aging of the mammary gland.
Abstract
We present provocative data that in addition to the expected progressive age-related involution, mammary gland aging can occur in a cyclical pattern and is dictated by maternal ancestry. In cyclical aging, mammary glands of 11 and 19 months old mice share genetic and proteomic signatures, which are enriched in breast cancer-related pathways, but are absent at 3 and 14 months. Since incidence of breast cancer shows a bimodal age distribution at 45 (~11m in mice) and 65 (~ 19m in mice), cyclical aging may contribute to these peaks of cancer susceptibility. Conversely, since the mammary glands at 3 and 14 months cluster together hierarchically, the cancer-associated peaks seem separated by a rejuvenation phase. Since cyclical aging is observed in mice with extended lifespan, these findings raise the possibility that if oncogenic mutations are avoided during the pro-oncogenic phases, through its rejuvenation phase, cyclical aging may impact multiple organs leading to extended longevity.
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Research summary
The paper presents findings on cyclical aging of the mammary gland and its potential implications for breast cancer susceptibility, which touches on mechanisms of aging and longevity. However, while it raises interesting points about rejuvenation phases and their possible effects on longevity, the focus remains primarily on cancer pathology rather than directly addressing the root causes of aging or lifespan extension. Thus, while it contributes solid research to the field, its impact is limited.
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