Adipose tissue engineering using adipose-derived stem cells (ADSCs) has emerged as an opportunity to develop novel approaches to postmastectomy breast reconstruction with the potential for an autologous tissue source with a natural appearance and texture. As of yet, the role of ADSCs in breast cancer development and metastasis is not completely understood; therefore, we must consider the oncological safety of employing an autologous source of ADSCs for use in breast regeneration. This study investigated the regenerative properties of ADSCs isolated from breast cancer patients, including those who had received neoadjuvant chemotherapy, and noncancer controls. The ADSCs were characterised for several parameters central to tissue regeneration, including cell viability, proliferation, differentiation potential, and cytokine secretion. A stem cell population was isolated and confirmed by flow cytometry and multilineage differentiation. There was no difference in cell phenotype or surface antigen expression between ADSCs from different sources. Adipose-derived stem cells isolated from the breast of cancer patients exhibited reduced adipogenic differentiation potential compared with ADSCs from other sources. The greatest degree of adipogenic differentiation was observed in ADSCs isolated from the subcutaneous abdominal fat of noncancer controls. The proliferation rate of ADSCs isolated from the breast of cancer patients was increased compared with other sources; however, it was decreased in ADSCs isolated from breast cancer patients who had recently been treated with neoadjuvant chemotherapy. A number of cytokines were detected in the cell conditioned media of ADSCs from different sources, including matrix metalloproteinase-2 (MMP-2), which was detected at higher levels in the secretome of ADSCs from breast cancer patients compared with noncancer controls. This study provides important information relating to the suitability of ADSCs as an autologous cell source for adipose tissue engineering in postcancer reconstruction. Results indicate that while the surface phenotype does not differ, the differentiation capacity, proliferative rate, and secreted cytokine profile are affected by the presence or treatment of breast cancer. These findings support further investigation into the regenerative potential of these ADSCs, if they are to be considered in clinical reconstructive strategies.
Keywords: Breast reonstruction; adipose derived stem cells; breast cancer; tissue engineering.