Newsstand Menu

A link between breast changes and . . . UTIs?

Image of Mice with UTI breast tissue collagen deposits
Mice with UTIs experience a significant increase in breast tissue collagen deposits. Note the blue-stained collagen “rivers” in the images above and below.

Women’s health is often talked about in terms of major, life-altering events like pregnancy and menopause. A new study from Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory (CSHL) underscores the importance of considering everyday occurrences’ impact on women’s well-being.

CSHL researchers have made a surprising discovery involving urinary tract infections (UTIs). The scientists found that UTIs in mice can provoke a bodily response that results in structural changes in breast tissue. Remarkably, these changes are reversible once the infections are resolved.

The study was led by CSHL Associate Professor Camila dos Santos, graduate students Samantha Henry and Steven Lewis, and former postdoc Samantha Cyrill. Their findings show how disturbances far across the body can influence breast health.

More than half of all women will experience at least one UTI in their lifetime. So, the potential ramifications here are substantial. “Recurrent and hard-to-treat UTIs could provide opportunities for abnormal breast cell growth,” dos Santos says.

Image of mice UTI breast tissue collagen comparison
Mice with UTIs (center) exhibited an 84% increase in mammary tissue collagen content, compared to a control group (left). However, after the infection was treated (right), the tissue changes were reversed.

Cyrill notes that the breast changes that the team observed in mice with UTIs “were not directly caused by the infection itself. Rather, they were caused by the body’s responses.” The responses were mainly driven by a molecule called TIMP1. “This molecule mediated increased collagen deposits and milk duct enlargement in breast tissue,” Henry explains. Such changes are also observed during pregnancy.

Hormonal changes during pregnancy and menopause are known factors that can influence breast cancer risk. This new research suggests doctors and scientists need to think even more broadly about breast health. “It opened up a new research program in our lab,” dos Santos says. They’re now looking at how other changes women go through in their lifetimes might unexpectedly influence breast tissue.

“More research is needed to determine if the tissue changes we observed contribute to tumor growth and metastasis,” Lewis notes. It’s also not yet clear if UTIs and other infections could be associated with breast cancer risk in humans. Clarifying these relationships would help doctors provide more precise recommendations related to breast cancer risk, screening, and prevention. Moreover, it would empower women to become stronger advocates for their own health.

Written by: Jennifer Michalowski, Science Writer | publicaffairs@cshl.edu | 516-367-8455


Funding

Simons Foundation, Dr. Lee MacCormick Edwards Charitable Foundation, CSHL-Northwell Health Affiliation, Pershing Square Foundation, Robertson Foundation, Breast Cancer Research Foundation, National Institutes of Health, National Cancer Institute

Citation

Henry, S., et al., “Host response during unresolved urinary tract infection alters female mammary tissue homeostasis through collagen deposition and TIMP1”, Nature Communications, April 16, 2024. DOI: 10.1038/s41467-024-47462-7

Core Facilites

Animal Facility “The Animal Shared Resource houses and cares for the animals essential for scientific research. Our staff perform all aspects of animal husbandry, ensure humane care, and assist researchers with highly technical procedures and protocol design and development.” — Animal Facility Director and Attending Veterinarian Rachel Rubino, DVM

image of single-cell biology icon “The Single Cell Genomics Core Facility brings cutting-edge single-cell technologies to collaborators both inside and outside of the Laboratory. We currently specialize in single-cell transcriptomics and offer assistance in a variety of gene expression workflows, including the latest in spatial gene expression profiling technologies.” — Director Jon Preall, Ph.D.

Animal Tissue Imaging “The Tissue Imaging Shared Resource provides a spectrum of on-demand and researcher-tailored histopathological services, including tissue sampling, processing, embedding, and sectioning, as well as H&E, special, and immunohistochemistry staining. We not only support laser-capture microdissection and whole-slide scanning, but also offer histopathology consultation and instrument training.” — Manager Qing Gao, Ph.D., M.D.

Stay informed

Sign up for our newsletter to get the latest discoveries, upcoming events, videos, podcasts, and a news roundup delivered straight to your inbox every month.

  Newsletter Signup

Principal Investigator

Camila dos Santos

Camila dos Santos

Associate Professor
Cancer Center Associate Director of DEI
Ph.D., Universidade Estadual de Campinas - Brazil, 2007

Tags