Evaluation of Antioxidant Intakes in Relation to Inflammatory Markers Expression Within the Normal Breast Tissue of Breast Cancer Patients

Abstract

Chronic inflammation may be a causative factor in breast cancer. One possible underlying mechanism is the generation of oxidative stress, which may favor tumorigenic processes. Antioxidant consumption may, therefore, help reduce tissue inflammation levels. However, few studies have explored this relation in breast tissue. We aimed to evaluate correlations between antioxidant (vitamin A/retinol, vitamin C, vitamin E, β-carotene, α-carotene, lycopene, lutein/zeaxanthin, β-cryptoxanthin, selenium, and zinc) intakes and protein expression levels of interleukin (IL)-6, tumor necrosis factor-α, C-reactive protein, cyclooxygenase-2, leptin, serum amyloid A1, signal transducer and activator of transcription 3, IL-8, IL-10, lactoferrin, and transforming growth factor-β measured in the normal breast tissue of 160 women diagnosed with breast cancer. Antioxidant intakes were collected using a self-administered food frequency questionnaire. Inflammation marker expression was assessed by immunohistochemistry. Correlations between antioxidant intakes and inflammatory marker expression were evaluated using Spearman’s partial correlation coefficients (r) for all women and for premenopausal and postmenopausal women separately. After Bonferroni correction, negative correlations were observed between dietary β-tocopherol and IL-10 expression in all women combined (r = −0.26, P = .003) and among postmenopausal women (r = −0.39, P = .003). For all women, a negative correlation was found between total zinc intakes and IL-10 (r = −0.26, P = .002). Among postmenopausal women, dietary selenium intake was negatively correlated with the expression of lactoferrin (r = −0.39, P = .003). No associations were observed in premenopausal women. Our findings suggest that consumption of specific antioxidants, including β-tocopherol, zinc, and selenium, may act on the breast tissue through mechanisms affecting the expression of some inflammation markers, particularly among postmenopausal women.

Effects of Dietary or Supplementary Micronutrients on Sex Hormones and IGF-1 in Middle and Older Age: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

“…For multi-nutrient interventions the composition of the nutrients varied substantially [130,[132][133][134][135][136] with some containing more than 20 different micronutrients [132,137], making it difficult to attribute benefit to any specific micronutrient. A number of studies also included additional protein making it difficult to isolate any specific effects of micronutrients from those of protein [61,132,137,144,145]. The baseline nutritional status of participants was not taken into account in a number of studies despite baseline status or deficiency being likely to determine the response to interventions.…”

Hybrid Dietary-Blood Inflammatory Profiles and Postmenopausal Breast Cancer: A Case-Control Study

“…There are a variety of inflammatory biomarkers, which may be involved in carcinogenesis [ 7 , 8 , 9 , 10 , 11 , 12 , 13 , 14 , 15 , 16 , 17 , 18 , 19 , 20 ]. One of the major pro-inflammatory cytokines produced by cells in inflamed tissue is Interleukin-6 (IL-6) [ 7 , 8 , 9 , 10 ]. IL-6 has an important role in chronic inflammatory diseases and may play a role in cancer development [ 7 , 8 , 9 , 10 ].…”

“…One of the major pro-inflammatory cytokines produced by cells in inflamed tissue is Interleukin-6 (IL-6) [ 7 , 8 , 9 , 10 ]. IL-6 has an important role in chronic inflammatory diseases and may play a role in cancer development [ 7 , 8 , 9 , 10 ]. However, the current evidence of the link between the IL-6 and BC risk is insufficient [ 7 , 8 ].…”

“…However, the current evidence of the link between the IL-6 and BC risk is insufficient [ 7 , 8 ]. The next, widely used marker of systemic inflammation is non-specific C-reactive protein (CRP), hepatic-synthesized in response to pro-inflammatory cytokines [ 7 , 8 , 9 , 10 , 11 , 12 , 13 , 14 , 15 , 16 , 17 , 18 , 19 , 20 ]. CRP has been recognised as a risk factor for BC in epidemiologic studies [ 18 , 19 ].…”

Evaluation of the Diagnostic and Predicative Values of 8-Iso-Prostaglandin F2α as a Biomarker of Breast Cancer

“…Thus, BC tissue has higher levels of lipid peroxidation compared to benign breast disease [20]. In addition, the amounts of antioxidants in BC patients also vary across all phases of BC, with low levels of antioxidants during the progression phase and high levels in the late stage, indicating compensatory response as cancer progresses through different phases including the metastasis phase [21]. Breast tumor stroma under oxidative stress secretes growth factors, cytokines, and metalloproteinases, as well as the release of nutrients to the cancerous cells that accelerate the growth process [22].…”