Related Experiment Video
Updated: Nov 30, 2025
Performing Data Mining And Integrative Analysis Of Biomarker in Breast Cancer Using Multiple Publicly Accessible Databases
Published on: May 17, 2019
Gene expression profile of normal breast tissue and body mass index
Danila Coradini1, Simone Gambazza2, Saro Oriana3
1Laboratory of Medical Statistics and Biometry, 'Giulio A. Maccacaro', Department of Clinical Sciences and Community Health, Campus Cascina Rosa, University of Milan, Milan, Italy. danila.coradini@gmail.com.
Background:
In human breast, adipose tissue represents up to 80% of the total volume and plays a critical role in mammary gland remodeling. Given the emerging role of obesity in breast cancer growth and development, we explored the relationship between body mass index (BMI), as a proxy of woman's obesity status, and the expression in normal breast tissue from healthy women of a selected panel of genes, known to be involved in mammary gland homeostasis.
Methods:
Two independent publicly available datasets, composed of 180 specimens of normal breast tissue from reduction mammoplasty were interrogated. Differential gene expression among BMI classes was evaluated by ANOVA, and partial correlation coefficient was used to assay the correlation between genes controlling for BMI.
Results:
Despite the differences in microarray platforms and analytical procedures, the two datasets shared a core of 9 genes differentially expressed in BMI classes and significantly correlated with BMI. Four (44%) of these genes belong to the functional class of cytokines and cytokine receptors (IL1R1, IL2RA, IL12A, and IL12RB2). The others belong to the functional class of the epigenetic regulation (MEDAG and SETD7), signal transduction (STAT1), cell adhesion (ITGAV), and enzymatic activity (STS).
Conclusions:
Although exploratory, present findings are in agreement with the role of inflammation modulators in the homeostasis of normal breast tissue and the believe that an increase in body adipose tissue may have a potentially dangerous local effect, through the increased expression of inflammation-related genes and the establishment of a low-grade chronic inflammation.
