Indiana University researchers are making new discoveries to better understand and treat breast cancer thanks to the pioneering work of the Komen Tissue Bank at the Indiana University Melvin and Bren Simon Comprehensive Cancer Center and thousands of breast tissue donors.
Among those researchers is Dr. Harikrishna Nakshatri, the Komen Tissue Bank’s chief scientific officer and a researcher with the Vera Bradley Foundation Center for Breast Cancer Research at the IU Simon Comprehensive Cancer Center in Indianapolis. His atlas of healthy breast cells, recently published in Nature Medicine, was made possible by more than 150 breast tissue donors at the Komen Tissue Bank.
Mapping normal breast cells also led to a new understanding of genetic ancestry’s impact on breast cancer. The breast tissue samples used in the study were donated by women of African, European, Indigenous American, Hispanic, East Asian, Southeast Asian and Ashkenazi-Jewish-European descent.
“The whole idea behind the study is that we want to figure out at a single cell level how they differ based on one’s genetic ancestry,” Nakshatri said. “For many many years, everyone thought it is only the socioeconomic factors responsible for the disparity in health care. Now we know, yes, that is no doubt a factor, but there are things beyond that.”
This breakthrough led Nakshatri to further research the biology behind aggressive cancers in Black women. Nakshatri and his team found that the number of PZP cells, which can develop a rare type of cancer called metaplastic carcinoma, are higher in the normal breast tissue of women with African ancestry than in those of European ancestry.
“We are studying how that affects the immune cells that come into the breast to protect it from becoming cancerous,” Nakshatri said. “We are also trying to figure out how these cells are affecting the response to chemotherapy.
“We have started a clinical trial with Dr. Kathy Miller based on this knowledge of PZP cells to see whether we need to come up with different drug combinations for women of African ancestry to make them more effective. This all became possible because of the Komen Tissue Bank.”
Continuing to make a difference
Indiana University Bloomington senior Chandni Desai took part in the research as she interned with the Komen Tissue Bank through a summer program with the IU School of Medicine in Indianapolis. She was matched with a mentor, Komen Tissue Bank Director Dr. Michele Coté, and analyzed breast cancer risk models specifically in Black women to create a poster for her program.
As a biochemistry and neuroscience major in the College of Arts and Sciences, she hopes to focus her career on breast cancer research. That’s also why she is looking forward to donating her own breast tissue to the Komen Tissue Bank.
“In my family, a lot of women have had breast cancer, and I think just even donating my breast tissue can help so many people,” Desai said. “Just doing that little step makes me feel like I’m actually doing something to help the cause.
“Breast cancer is widely researched, but the KTB is the only biorepository in the world that collects healthy breast tissue. It’s so important because they send their breast tissue worldwide, and they’re a huge step in advancing breast cancer research.”
Since the Komen Tissue Bank began in 2007, nearly 5,000 people have donated their healthy breast tissue. Women and men are eligible to donate, and the process takes about 70 to 90 minutes. After donors fill out paperwork, small vials of blood are drawn. They are then taken into an examination room, where the breast is numbed with lidocaine and the healthy tissue is extracted with a needle. If you are interested in donating breast tissue, sign up to give at the Komen Tissue Bank’s next donation event in Indianapolis on Oct. 19.
As part of the IU Indianapolis’ Latino Student Association, she also connected with the tissue bank at a Latinx Tasty Talks dinner and Q&A sessions.
“It’s a time where you can ask questions, and since people there spoke Spanish as well, there was also a time where questions and answers were spoken in Spanish, which was a great thing so people could better understand it,” Reyes said.
The Komen Tissue Bank holds these Tasty Talk events for multiple minority groups each year to address questions and share resources. A Tasty Talk on Oct. 3 at University Hospital will be an opportunity for young people to enjoy a meal and learn about the Komen Tissue Bank’s cause.
“I really enjoy the cultural aspect and the diversity that goes into breast cancer research,” Reyes said. “I never knew you could donate this tissue for research that could lead to further treatments. And it’s amazing too because they’re trying to bring awareness into minority populations.”
