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Updated: Jul 9, 2026
10:36
Systems Biology of Metabolic Regulation by Estrogen Receptor Signaling in Breast Cancer
Published on: March 17, 2016
10.9K
Transcriptome study exploring the mechanisms linking pollutants and breast cancer aggressiveness.
Louise Benoit1,2,3,4, German Cano-Sancho5, Céline Tomkiewicz6
1Inserm UMR-S 1124, T3S, Toxicologie Environnementale, Cibles thérapeutiques, Signalisation cellulaire et Biomarqueurs, Paris, France. louise.am.benoit@gmail.com.
Scientific Reports
|November 25, 2025
Summary
Persistent organic pollutants (POPs) may drive aggressive breast cancer (BC) by altering tumor biology. This study found POP exposure linked to changes in genes and pathways associated with BC progression and metastasis.
Area of Science:
- Environmental Health
- Oncology
- Molecular Biology
Background:
- Breast cancer (BC) is a leading cause of cancer mortality in women, with metastasis being a primary driver.
- Persistent organic pollutants (POPs) are environmental contaminants suspected to influence BC aggressiveness, yet the underlying mechanisms are not fully understood.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the association between exposure to various persistent organic pollutants (POPs) and the progression of breast cancer.
- To identify specific genes and biological pathways affected by POP exposure that correlate with BC aggressiveness.
Main Methods:
- Analysis of tumor samples from 89 BC patients (METAPOP cohort) for 42 types of POPs, including dioxins, PCBs, and PBDEs.
- Transcriptomic analysis using RNA sequencing to identify differentially expressed genes in relation to POPs and BC characteristics (tumor size, metastatic risk, lymph node involvement, ER status).
Main Results:
- Significant differential gene expression was observed concerning Estrogen Receptor (ER) status (4931 genes), tumor size (283 genes), and metastasis (99 genes).
- Enriched pathways linked to POP exposure and BC aggressiveness included immune response, extracellular matrix remodeling, and cell cycle regulation.
- Gene set enrichment analysis showed substantial overlap in pathways regulating cell cycle, immune response, and core BC hallmarks.
Conclusions:
- Findings suggest that POP exposure can modify tumor biology, potentially promoting a more aggressive breast cancer phenotype.
- This research offers new insights into the role of environmental pollutants in BC progression and highlights the need for further investigation into POPs' contribution to tumor aggressiveness.
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