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Body Mass Index Is Associated with Gene Methylation in Estrogen Receptor–Positive Breast Tumors
- Source :
- Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers & Prevention. 24:580-586
- Publication Year :
- 2015
- Publisher :
- American Association for Cancer Research (AACR), 2015.
-
Abstract
- Background: Although obesity is associated with breast cancer incidence and prognosis, the underlying mechanisms are poorly understood. Identification of obesity-associated epigenetic changes in breast tissue may advance mechanistic understanding of breast cancer initiation and progression. The goal of this study, therefore, was to investigate associations between obesity and gene methylation in breast tumors. Methods: Using the Illumina GoldenGate Cancer I Panel, we estimated the association between body mass index (BMI) and gene methylation in 345 breast tumor samples from phase I of the Carolina Breast Cancer Study, a population-based case–control study. Multivariable linear regression was used to identify sites that were differentially methylated by BMI. Stratification by tumor estrogen receptor (ER) status was also conducted. Results: In the majority of the 935 probes analyzed (87%), the average beta value increased with obesity (BMI ≥ 30). Obesity was significantly associated with differential methylation (FDR q < 0.05) in just two gene loci in breast tumor tissue overall and in 21 loci among ER-positive tumors. Obesity was associated with methylation of genes that function in immune response, cell growth, and DNA repair. Conclusions: Obesity is associated with altered methylation overall, and with hypermethylation among ER-positive tumors in particular, suggesting that obesity may influence the methylation of genes with known relevance to cancer. Some of these differences in methylation by obese status may influence levels of gene expression within breast cells. Impact: If our results are validated, obesity-associated methylation sites could serve as targets for prevention and treatment research. Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev; 24(3); 580–6. ©2015 AACR.
- Subjects :
- Adult
Oncology
medicine.medical_specialty
Epidemiology
Population
Estrogen receptor
Breast Neoplasms
Biology
Article
Body Mass Index
Young Adult
Breast cancer
Internal medicine
Biomarkers, Tumor
medicine
Humans
Obesity
Epigenetics
education
Aged
education.field_of_study
Gene Expression Profiling
Cancer
Methylation
DNA Methylation
Middle Aged
Prognosis
medicine.disease
Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic
Gene expression profiling
Endocrinology
Receptors, Estrogen
DNA methylation
Female
Subjects
Details
- ISSN :
- 15387755 and 10559965
- Volume :
- 24
- Database :
- OpenAIRE
- Journal :
- Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers & Prevention
- Accession number :
- edsair.doi.dedup.....b4e95335bb9245a58a183c807bf6b75a