Mammary Fat of Breast Cancer: Gene Expression Profiling and Functional Characterization

• Published in: PloS one Vol. 9; no. 10; p. e109742
• Main Authors: Wang, Fengliang, Gao, Sheng, Chen, Fei, Fu, Ziyi, Yin, Hong, Lu, Xun, Yu, Jing, Lu, Cheng
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States Public Library of Science 07.10.2014; Public Library of Science (PLoS)
• Subjects: Adipocytes; Adipogenesis; Adipokines - genetics; Adipokines - metabolism; Adipose tissue; Adipose Tissue, Brown - metabolism; Adipose Tissue, Brown - pathology; Adipose Tissue, White - metabolism; Adipose Tissue, White - pathology; Adult; Benign; Biology and Life Sciences; Breast cancer; Breast Neoplasms - genetics; Breast Neoplasms - metabolism; Breast Neoplasms - pathology; Breasts; Browning; Cancer; Cancer genetics; Case-Control Studies; Cell cycle; Childrens health; Endocrinology; Extracellular matrix; Fatty Acid-Binding Proteins - genetics; Fatty Acid-Binding Proteins - metabolism; Female; Fibroblasts; Gene expression; Gene Expression Profiling; Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic; Genes; Genetic aspects; Growth factors; Homeodomain Proteins - genetics; Homeodomain Proteins - metabolism; Hormones; Hospitals; Humans; Lesions; Mammary Glands, Human - metabolism; Mammary Glands, Human - pathology; Medicine and Health Sciences; Metabolism; Microarray Analysis; Middle Aged; Neoplasm Proteins - genetics; Neoplasm Proteins - metabolism; Pathogenesis; Primary Cell Culture; Secretion; Signaling; Stromal Cells - metabolism; Stromal Cells - pathology; Surgery; Thermogenesis; Tissues; Tumor Microenvironment; Tumors; United States > US; China
• ISSN: 1932-6203; 1932-6203
• DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0109742

Mammary fat is the main composition of breast, and is the most probable candidate to affect tumor behavior because the fat produces hormones, growth factors and adipokines, a heterogeneous group of signaling molecules. Gene expression profiling and functional characterization of mammary fat in Chinese women has not been reported. Thus, we collected the mammary fat tissues adjacent to breast tumors from 60 subjects, among which 30 subjects had breast cancer and 30 had benign lesions. We isolated and cultured the stromal vascular cell fraction from mammary fat. The expression of genes related to adipose function (including adipogenesis and secretion) was detected at both the tissue and the cellular level. We also studied mammary fat browning. The results indicated that fat tissue close to malignant and benign lesions exhibited distinctive gene expression profiles and functional characteristics. Although the mammary fat of breast tumors atrophied, it secreted tumor growth stimulatory factors. Browning of mammary fat was observed and browning activity of fat close to malignant breast tumors was greater than that close to benign lesions. Understanding the diversity between these two fat depots may possibly help us improve our understanding of breast cancer pathogenesis and find the key to unlock new anticancer therapies.