Breast volume in non-obese females is related to breast adipose cell hypertrophy, inflammation, and COX2 expression

Silvia Gogg; Annika Nerstedt; Ulf  Smith; Emma Hansson

doi:10.2340/jphs.v59.40754

Authors

Silvia Gogg The Lundberg Laboratory for Diabetes Research, Department of Molecular and Clinical Medicine, Institute of Medicine, the Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden
Annika Nerstedt The Lundberg Laboratory for Diabetes Research, Department of Molecular and Clinical Medicine, Institute of Medicine, the Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden
Ulf Smith The Lundberg Laboratory for Diabetes Research, Department of Molecular and Clinical Medicine, Institute of Medicine, the Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden
Emma Hansson Department of Plastic Surgery, Institute of Clinical Sciences, the Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden; Region Västra Götaland, Sahlgrenska University Hospital, Department of Plastic Surgery, Gothenburg, Sweden

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.2340/jphs.v59.40754

Keywords:

Breast cancer, breast volume, risk factors, adipocyte hypertrophy, inflammation, cell senescence

Abstract

Background: Breast hypertrophy seems to be a risk factor for breast cancer and the amount and characteristics of breast adipose tissue may play important roles. The main aim of this study was to investigate associations between breast volume in normal weight women and hypertrophic adipose tissue and inflammation.

Methods: Fifteen non-obese women undergoing breast reduction surgery were examined. Breast volume was measured with plastic cups and surgery was indicated if the breast was 800 ml or larger according to Swedish guidelines. We isolated adipose cells from the breasts and ambient subcutaneous tissue to measure cell size, cell inflammation and other known markers of risk of developing breast cancer including COX2 gene activation and MAPK, a cell proliferation regulator.

Results: Breast adipose cell size was characterized by cell hypertrophy and closely related to breast volume. The breast adipose cells were also characterized by being pro-inflammatory with increased IL-6, IL-8, IL-1β, CCL-2, TNF-a and an increased marker of cell senescence GLB1/β-galactosidase, commonly increased in hypertrophic adipose tissue. The prostaglandin synthetic marker COX2 was also increased in the hypertrophic cells and COX2 has previously been shown to be an important marker of risk of developing breast cancer. Interestingly, the phosphorylation of the proliferation marker MAPK was also increased in the hypertrophic adipose cells.

Conclusion: Taken together, these findings show that increased breast volume in non-obese women is associated with adipose cell hypertrophy and dysfunction and characterized by increased inflammation and other markers of increased risk for developing breast cancer.

Trial registration: Projektdatabasen FoU i VGR, project number: 249191 (https://www.researchweb.org/is/vgr/project/249191)

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