Grant Details
Grant Number: |
5R01CA229815-05 Interpret this number |
Primary Investigator: |
Loo, Lenora |
Organization: |
University Of Hawaii At Manoa |
Project Title: |
The Role of 27-Hydroxycholesterol in Breast Cancer: a Population-Based Multiethnic Study |
Fiscal Year: |
2023 |
Abstract
ABSTRACT
Excess overall adiposity (obesity) is one of the most significant risk factors for breast cancer in postmenopausal
women and is a key predictor for poor prognosis. Excess central or visceral adiposity, rather than overall or
subcutaneous adiposity, is more indicative of abnormal metabolic profiles and is strongly associated with obesity-
related outcomes, including breast cancer incidence and prognosis. Postulated mechanisms underlying the
association between obesity and post-menopausal breast cancer include higher levels of estradiol,
hypercholesterolemia, and inflammation. Laboratory studies established the cholesterol metabolite, 27-
hydroxychlolesterol (27HC), as an endogenous selective estrogen receptor modulator capable of promoting
breast cancer growth and metastasis. However, epidemiologic data on the role of 27HC in breast cancer
incidence and tumor characteristics is lacking, particularly for diverse racial/ethnic populations. Thus, we propose
to conduct a large-scale epidemiologic study to examine the associations of 27HC with body fat distribution,
breast cancer incidence, and clinicopathologic characteristics among participants of the Multiethnic Cohort
(MEC), which includes five major racial/ethnic groups in the U.S.―African Americans, Japanese Americans,
Native Hawaiians, Latinos and Whites. In Aim 1, we will examine the association between body fat distribution
and circulating levels of 27HC in 913 healthy females and conduct a longitudinal study among a subset of these
women (n=796) to examine the association between waist-hip-ratio and circulating levels of 27HC. In Aim 2,
we will examine the independent association of circulating levels of 27HC and joint associations of 27HC,
estradiol, and lipids with postmenopausal breast cancer incidence (cases/controls=1,572/1,572). In Aim 3, we
will examine in breast tumor tissue (n=700) the association between gene expression levels of 27HC-regulating
enzymes and clinicopathologic characteristics, including grade, stage, PAM50-defined molecular subtypes, and
breast cancer-specific gene expression signatures. The strengths of this proposal include: (1) it represents the
first large-scale multiethnic population-based epidemiologic investigation of 27HC and breast cancer; (2) it
investigates the possible pathway by which 27HC may impact breast cancer by examining refined measures of
body fat distribution in relation to 27HC levels; (3) it examines the relationship between expression of 27HC-
regulating enzymes and clinicopathologic characteristics in breast tumors to interrogate the biological
mechanisms mediated by 27HC; (4) it leverages the high quality resources within the MEC (e.g. extensive
questionnaire information, blood and tumor tissue samples, and >20 years of follow-up data). The findings from
this proposal will expand our understanding of the role of the 27HC-estradiol pathway in breast cancer,
particularly in regards to different body fat distribution. This knowledge could serve as the basis for personalized
breast cancer prevention and treatment strategies across different racial/ethnic populations.
Publications
Circulating 27-hydroxycholesterol, lipids, and steroid hormones in breast cancer risk: a nested case-control study of the Multiethnic Cohort Study.
Authors: DeRouen M.C.
, Yang J.
, Li Y.
, Franke A.A.
, Tome A.N.
, White K.K.
, Hernandez B.Y.
, Shvetsov Y.
, Setiawan V.
, Wu A.H.
, et al.
.
Source: Breast Cancer Research : Bcr, 2023-08-14 00:00:00.0; 25(1), p. 95.
EPub date: 2023-08-14 00:00:00.0.
PMID: 37580793
Related Citations
Cholesterol lowering drug use and breast cancer survival: the Multiethnic Cohort Study.
Authors: Moksud N.
, Loo L.W.M.
, Yang J.
, Huang C.Y.
, Haiman C.A.
, Le Marchand L.
, Wilkens L.R.
, Cheng I.
.
Source: Breast Cancer Research And Treatment, 2021-08-30 00:00:00.0; , .
EPub date: 2021-08-30 00:00:00.0.
PMID: 34460030
Related Citations