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Female breast cancer (BrCa) is the most common noncutaneous cancer among women in the United States. Human epidemiological studies reveal that a p53 single-nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) at codon 72, encoding proline (P72) or arginine (R72), is associated with differential risk of several cancers, including BrCa. However, the molecular mechanisms by which these variants affect mammary tumorigenesis remain unresolved. To investigate the effects of this polymorphism on susceptibility to mammary cancer, we used a humanized p53 mouse model, homozygous for either P72 or R72. Our studies revealed that R72 mice had a significantly higher mammary tumor incidence and reduced latency in both DMBA-induced and MMTV -Erbb2/Neu mouse mammary tumor models compared to P72 mice. Analyses showed that susceptible mammary glands from E-R72 (R72 x MMTV -Erbb2/Neu ) mice developed a senescence-associated secretory phenotype (SASP) with influx of proinflammatory macrophages, ultimately resulting in chronic, protumorigenic inflammation. Mammary tumors arising in E-R72 mice also had an increased influx of tumor-associated macrophages, contributing to angiogenesis and elevated tumor growth rates. These results demonstrate that the p53 R72 variant increased susceptibility to mammary tumorigenesis through chronic inflammation.

To promote the STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) pipeline and enhance the participation of students who have been historically underrepresented in STEM fields in the U.S, a team of faculty investigators with diverse expertise in STEM, education, public health and medicine have been working collaboratively on a National Institutes of Health (NIH)-funded STEM education project entitled the MENTORS (Model Education Networks To Optimize Rural Science) Project. In this paper, we describe the project activities and present the findings of a study aimed at exploring the responses of high school students to research experiences conducted on the university campus during the summer of 2017. Using a qualitative case study design, the study explored the impact of authentic, hands-on, hypothesis-driven, summer research experiences on career aspiration of nine students.. Participants were selected from applicants at two high schools located in the southwestern region of the U.S., in counties where the residents have among the lowest socioeconomic status and educational attainment in the U.S. The majority of participants were Hispanic and female. Students were assigned to laboratories based on their specified interests, and worked with individual faculty and laboratory personnel on original research projects. Data were collected using pre- and post-experience surveys and student reflections. Findings indicate that students enjoyed working in the laboratory settings with the researchers and participating in authentic research activities. Their career goals in STEM and health-related professions have been strengthened because of their participation.