Increased Igf-I/Igfbp-3 Ratios in Postmenopausal Taiwanese with Breast Cancer, Irrespective of Er and Pr Statuses and Her2 Expression in a Case-Control Study.
BACKGROUND
In most research, there were positive associations between the insulin-like growth factor I (IGF-I) status, including IGF-I, insulin-like growth factor binding protein-3 (IGFBP-3), and ratio of IGF-I/IGFBP-3, and risks of breast cancer (BC), which was influenced by many factors, including hormone statuses and ethnicity. Therefore, the alterations of the IGF-I status in Taiwanese women with BC by menopausal statuses and hormone receptors were investigated.


METHODS
The levels of IGF-I and IGFBP-3 were determined by the enzyme-labeled chemiluminescent immunometric assay, and the protein expression of estrogen receptor (ER), progesterone receptor (PR), and human epidermal growth factor 2 (HER2) on paraffin-embedded sections of tissues with BC were analyzed by the immunohistochemical method.


RESULTS
The ratios of IGF-I/IGFBP-3 were significantly higher in the women with BC than those in the controls, but not of the levels of IGF-I and IGFBP-3; furthermore, the significantly higher ratios were found only in the postmenopausal status. In addition, there was no significant difference between the IGF-I status and ER and PR statuses, and HER2 expression, respectively, in the women with BC.


CONCLUSIONS
The ratios of IGF-I/IGFBP-3 were increased in postmenopausal Taiwanese women with BC, irrespective of their ages, ER and PR statuses, and HER2 expression.
Department of Laboratory Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung, Taiwan.
Su-Chen
SC
Lee
Department of Public Health and Environmental Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung, Taiwan.
Shih-Meng
SM
Tsai
Department of Surgery and Faculty of Medicine, Kaohsiung Medical University Hospital and Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung, Taiwan.
Ming-Feng
MF
Hou
Division of General Laboratory, Department of Laboratory Medicine, Kaohsiung Medical University Hospital, Kaohsiung, Taiwan.
Li-Ying
LY
Tien
Division of Plastic Surgery and Department of Surgery, Taipei Veterans General Hospital and Yang Ming University, Taipei, Taiwan.
Szu-Hsien
SH
Wu
Herman Ostrow School of Dentistry, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California.
Lisa Ann
LA
Hou
University of California San Diego, La Jolla, California.
Joseph M
JM
Tsai
Department of Medical Laboratory Science and Biotechnology, College of Health Sciences, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung, Taiwan.
Li-Yu
LY
Tsai
D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000378:metabolism*; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D018972:Insulin-Like Growth Factor Binding Protein 3 / Q000378:metabolism*; D007334:Insulin-Like Growth Factor I / Q000378:metabolism*; D008875:Middle Aged; D016612:Paraffin Embedding; D017698:Postmenopause / Q000378:metabolism*; D018719:Erb-b2 Receptor Tyrosine Kinases / Q000378:metabolism*; D011960:Receptors, Estrogen / Q000378:metabolism*; D011980:Receptors, Progesterone / Q000378:metabolism*; D013624:Taiwan
D018972:Insulin-Like Growth Factor Binding Protein 3; D007334:Insulin-Like Growth Factor I; D018719:Erb-b2 Receptor Tyrosine Kinases; D011960:Receptors, Estrogen; D011980:Receptors, Progesterone; C508053:ERBB2 protein, human
IGF-I; IGF-I/IGFBP-3 ratio; IGFBP-3; breast cancer; menopausal status