title: Inflamm-aging of the stem cell niche: breast cancer as a paradigmatic example: breakdown of the multi-shell cytokine network fuels cancer in aged people.
abstract: Inflamm-aging is a relatively new terminology used to describe the age-related increase in the systemic pro-inflammatory status of humans. Here, we represent inflamm-aging as a breakdown in the multi-shell cytokine network, in which stem cells and stromal fibroblasts (referred to as the stem cell niche) become pro-inflammatory cytokine over-expressing cells due to the accumulation of DNA damage. Inflamm-aging self-propagates owing to the capability of pro-inflammatory cytokines to ignite the DNA-damage response in other cells surrounding DNA-damaged cells. Macrophages, the major cellular player in inflamm-aging, amplify the phenomenon, by broadcasting pro-inflammatory signals at both local and systemic levels. On the basis of this, we propose that inflamm-aging is a major contributor to the increase in cancer incidence and progression in aged people. Breast cancer will be presented as a paradigmatic example for this relationship.
authors.affiliation: Department of Experimental Pathology, University of Bologna, Italy.
authors.forename: Massimiliano
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Bonafè
authors.forename: Gianluca
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Storci
authors.forename: Claudio
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Franceschi
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000375:Aging; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology; D002450:Cell Communication; D002471:Cell Transformation, Neoplastic; D016207:Cytokines / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism*; D004249:DNA Damage; D018450:Disease Progression; D005260:Female; D005347:Fibroblasts / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D007249:Inflammation / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology; D008264:Macrophages / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism; D015398:Signal Transduction; D055153:Stem Cell Niche; D013234:Stem Cells / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism*; D017154:Stromal Cells / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D016207:Cytokines