Analyzing Epigenetic Alterations Initiated by Gender-Affirming Testosterone in Breast Tissue

Project Summary:

Understanding the transcriptional and epigenetics changes of gender-affirming care (GAT) on breast tissue will impact an estimated 25,000 Wisconsin residents. Given the increasing use of GAT amongst transgender and/or gender diverse (TGD) individuals and that breast cancer is one of the most common cancers in Wisconsin, it is imperative to understand how GAT influences the epigenetic landscape of breast tissue to understand the underlying mechanisms behind breast cancer development in this population. There are no studies that assess the cellular mechanisms by which GAT changes breast structure and how these changes may influence future breast cancer risk.

This project seeks to identify transcriptional and epigenetic differences between breast tissues of TGD persons assigned female at birth on GAT versus cisgender women. This will provide foundational data needed to support larger scale investigations on epigenetic changes and longitudinal studies that examine the association of breast cancer risk and incidence in TGD-AFB on GAT.