Post-death Vesicles of Senescent Bone Marrow Mesenchymal Stromal Polyploids Promote Macrophage Aging and Breast Cancer

Abstract

Potential systemic factors contributing to aging-associated breast cancer (BC) remain elusive. Here, we reveal that the polyploid giant cells (PGCs) that contain more than two sets of genomes prevailing in aging and cancerous tissues constitute 5-10% of healthy female bone marrow mesenchymal stromal cells (fBMSCs). The PGCs can repair DNA damage and stimulate neighboring cells for clonal expansion. However, dying PGCs in advanced-senescent fBMSCs can form spikings which are then separated into membraned mtDNA-containing vesicles (Senescent PGC-Spiking Bodies; SPSBs). SPSB-phagocytosed macrophages accelerate aging with diminished clearance on BC cells and protumor M2 polarization. SPSB-carried mitochondrial OXPHOS components are enriched in BC of elder patients and associated with poor prognosis. SPSB-incorporated breast epithelial cells develop aggressive characteristics and PGCs resembling the polyploid giant cancer cells (PGCCs) in clonogenic BC cells and cancer tissues. These findings highlight an aging BMSC-induced BC risk mediated by SPSB-induced macrophage dysfunction and epithelial cell precancerous transition.