Kumar B, et al., 2018

Researchers developed a diverse set of lab-grown breast cell lines from healthy women of different racial backgrounds. These cells were designed to closely resemble the different types of normal breast cells found in the body, including those that may give rise to specific breast cancer subtypes. By using donated tissue from the Komen Tissue Bank, the team was able to create cell lines that reflect the natural variety and complexity of breast tissue.

This new resource allows scientists to study how normal breast cells behave, how they differ between individuals, and how they might develop into cancer. It also provides better models for testing treatments and understanding how genetic background and cell type influence cancer risk, helping researchers work toward more personalized approaches to breast cancer prevention and therapy.

Full-Text Journal Article PubMed

What did they study?

The researchers made lab-grown breast cells that represent different normal cell types, like stem and mature cells. These cells showed patterns like those found in different types of breast cancer. The team also saw differences in how the cells grew and responded, helping them study how normal cells might turn into cancer and why this process can vary from person to person.

What did they find?

• Subtype similarity: Several of the cell lines closely matched the gene expression patterns of known breast cancer subtypes—such as luminal A, basal, and normal-like—making them strong models for studying how different cancers may develop from specific normal cell types.
• Individual differences: The cell lines showed clear variation between donors in how they grew, responded to signals like TGFβ, and expressed markers related to stemness and cell development, highlighting natural diversity in normal breast biology.
• Aggressive traits in some cells: Cell lines derived from African American women more often showed features like stem-like behavior, lack of certain epithelial markers, and signs of epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT), which are linked to more aggressive and hard-to-treat breast cancers.

Why is this study important?

This study provides researchers with a more accurate and diverse set of normal breast cell models, which are essential for understanding how different types of breast cancer begin and why they behave differently. By capturing natural differences between individuals—including racial background—these cell lines help uncover how normal cells may influence cancer risk, progression, and treatment response. They also offer a much-needed tool for developing more personalized and effective cancer therapies.

Full citation

Kumar B,Prasad M,Bhat-Nakshatri P,Anjanappa M,Kalra M,Marino N,Storniolo AM,Rao X,Liu S,Wan J,Liu Y,Nakshatri H Normal Breast-Derived Epithelial Cells with Luminal and Intrinsic Subtype-Enriched Gene Expression Document Interindividual Differences in Their Differentiation Cascade.. Cancer research 2018 Sep; 78 (17). PMID:29997232.