Molecular significance of excess body weight in postmenopausal breast cancer patients, in relation to expression of insulin-like growth factor I receptor and insulin-like growth factor II genes.
A number of epidemiological and clinical studies have revealed that excess body weight increases the risk of postmenopausal breast cancer and also adversely affects subsequent malignant progression. To elucidate the molecular mechanisms underlying these observations, we examined mRNA expression of various genes in normal (non-cancerous) mammary gland and cancer tissue of Japanese patients with primary breast cancer, in association with their body mass index (BMI). On the basis of analysis of 106 breast cancer patients, we found that mRNA expression of insulin-like growth factor I receptor (IGF-IR) and insulin-like growth factor II (IGF-II) in the normal mammary gland showed a significant and positive association with increased BMI among postmenopausal patients. Furthermore, the positive association of increased BMI with IGF-IR mRNA expression was also found in postmenopausal breast cancer tissue, while this association was not observed among premenopausal patients. In addition, increased mRNA expression of cyclin D1 and bcl-2 was observed in association with increased mRNA levels of IGF-IR among the patients regardless of menopausal status. These findings suggest that the molecular consequence of the increased BMI is the increased expression of IGF-II and IGF-IR, resulting in development of postmenopausal breast cancer and its progression mediated through modulation of the cell cycle and apoptosis.
Department of Transfusion Medicine, Saga Medical School Hospital, Saga 849-8501, Japan. sugak@post.saga-med.ac.jp
K
K
Suga
K
K
Imai
H
H
Eguchi
S
S
Hayashi
Y
Y
Higashi
K
K
Nakachi
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D015992:Body Mass Index; D001940:Breast / Q000378:metabolism; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D019938:Cyclin D1 / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics; D005260:Female; D015972:Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic; D006801:Humans; D007334:Insulin-Like Growth Factor I / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics; D007335:Insulin-Like Growth Factor II / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics*; D008875:Middle Aged; D009765:Obesity; D017698:Postmenopause; D019253:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2 / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000096:biosynthesis; D017526:Receptor, IGF Type 1 / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics*; D012307:Risk Factors
D019253:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D019938:Cyclin D1; D007334:Insulin-Like Growth Factor I; D007335:Insulin-Like Growth Factor II; D017526:Receptor, IGF Type 1