Alcohol consumption promotes mammary tumor growth and insulin sensitivity.
Epidemiological data show that in women, alcohol has a beneficial effect by increasing insulin sensitivity but also a deleterious effect by increasing breast cancer risk. These effects have not been shown concurrently in an animal model of breast cancer. Our objective is to identify a mouse model of breast cancer whereby alcohol increases insulin sensitivity and promotes mammary tumorigenesis. Our results from the glucose tolerance test and the homeostasis model assessment show that alcohol consumption improved insulin sensitivity. However, alcohol-consuming mice developed larger mammary tumors and developed them earlier than water-consuming mice. In vitro results showed that alcohol exposure increased the invasiveness of breast cancer cells in a dose-dependent manner. Thus, this animal model, an in vitro model of breast cancer, may be used to elucidate the mechanism(s) by which alcohol affects breast cancer.
Hong
Jina
J
Department of Nutritional Sciences, School of Human Ecology, College of Natural Sciences, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX 78712, USA.
Holcomb
Valerie B
VB
Tekle
Samrawit A
SA
Fan
Betty
B
Núñez
Nomelí P
NP
D000428:Alcohol Drinking / Q000097:blood* / Q000473:pathology*; D000818:Animals; D001786:Blood Glucose / Q000378:metabolism; D001823:Body Composition / Q000187:drug effects; D001835:Body Weight / Q000187:drug effects; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D000431:Ethanol / Q000097:blood / Q000494:pharmacology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007328:Insulin / Q000097:blood; D007333:Insulin Resistance / Q000502:physiology*; D008325:Mammary Neoplasms, Experimental / Q000097:blood* / Q000139:chemically induced* / Q000473:pathology; D051379:Mice
D001786:Blood Glucose; D007328:Insulin; D000431:Ethanol