Project description
The hormone connection between obesity and breast cancer
Breast cancer risk increases after menopause, when oestradiol drops markedly and oestrone serves as the main oestrogen. Obesity and high oestrone levels are considered risk factors for the development of oestrogen receptor-positive breast cancer in postmenopausal women. Scientists of the EU-funded EOBRECA project are investigating the role of adipose tissue chronic inflammation and the NF-kB pathway in breast cancer onset. They aim to delineate the regulatory role of oestrone in the NF-kB pathway and determine the oncogenic role of enzymes implicated in the oestradiol to oestrone conversion. The project has the potential to identify novel therapeutic targets against oestrogen receptor-positive breast cancers, paving the way for new preventative and treatment strategies.
Objective
Observational studies indicate that obesity and the risk of developing estrogen receptor-positive (ER+) breast cancers has an inverse association in premenopausal women, but a positive association in post-menopausal women. Breast cancer risk rises steeply after menopause, when estradiol decreases markedly and estrone become the major serum estrogen. Adipose tissue express high levels of the enzyme aromatase, being the major site of estrogen synthesis after menopause. Obesity in postmenopausal women correlates with increased serum estrone levels. Obesity and higher estrone, but not estradiol, are correlated with increased risk of ER+ breast cancer in postmenopausal women.
Obesity mediates a chronic inflammatory state through NF-kB pathway activation of pro-inflammatory cytokine expression. The chronic inflammatory milieu established in the obese adipose tissue may be associated to the increased risk of developing several cancer types, including postmenopausal ER+ breast cancer. It is known that estradiol inhibits NF-kB activation through different molecular mechanisms. However, the role of estrone in regulating the NF-kB pathway has not been studied yet. Notably, low intra-tumor expression of enzymes converting estrone into estradiol, and overexpression of enzymes that convert estradiol into estrone are both associated with a worse outcome in ER+ breast cancer patients.
This proposal pursue to elucidate the role of estrone in the increased risk of developing ER+ breast cancer in obese postmenopausal women. We hope to determine the roles of estrone and estradiol in regulating NF-kB pathway in adipocytes and ER+ normal epithelial mammary cells. We will also determine if enzymes involved in estradiol to estrone conversion have an oncogenic role in the development of this disease. Data obtained from this work have the potential to identify new markers and therapeutic targets against ER+ breast cancers, and lead to the design of new strategies for its prevention.
Fields of science (EuroSciVoc)
CORDIS classifies projects with EuroSciVoc, a multilingual taxonomy of fields of science, through a semi-automatic process based on NLP techniques. See: The European Science Vocabulary.
CORDIS classifies projects with EuroSciVoc, a multilingual taxonomy of fields of science, through a semi-automatic process based on NLP techniques. See: The European Science Vocabulary.
- medical and health sciences clinical medicine oncology breast cancer
- natural sciences biological sciences biochemistry biomolecules proteins enzymes
- medical and health sciences health sciences nutrition obesity
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Programme(s)
Multi-annual funding programmes that define the EU’s priorities for research and innovation.
Multi-annual funding programmes that define the EU’s priorities for research and innovation.
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H2020-EU.1.3. - EXCELLENT SCIENCE - Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions
MAIN PROGRAMME
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H2020-EU.1.3.2. - Nurturing excellence by means of cross-border and cross-sector mobility
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Topic(s)
Calls for proposals are divided into topics. A topic defines a specific subject or area for which applicants can submit proposals. The description of a topic comprises its specific scope and the expected impact of the funded project.
Calls for proposals are divided into topics. A topic defines a specific subject or area for which applicants can submit proposals. The description of a topic comprises its specific scope and the expected impact of the funded project.
Funding Scheme
Funding scheme (or “Type of Action”) inside a programme with common features. It specifies: the scope of what is funded; the reimbursement rate; specific evaluation criteria to qualify for funding; and the use of simplified forms of costs like lump sums.
Funding scheme (or “Type of Action”) inside a programme with common features. It specifies: the scope of what is funded; the reimbursement rate; specific evaluation criteria to qualify for funding; and the use of simplified forms of costs like lump sums.
MSCA-IF-EF-RI - RI – Reintegration panel
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Call for proposal
Procedure for inviting applicants to submit project proposals, with the aim of receiving EU funding.
Procedure for inviting applicants to submit project proposals, with the aim of receiving EU funding.
(opens in new window) H2020-MSCA-IF-2018
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Net EU financial contribution. The sum of money that the participant receives, deducted by the EU contribution to its linked third party. It considers the distribution of the EU financial contribution between direct beneficiaries of the project and other types of participants, like third-party participants.
18071 GRANADA
Spain
The total costs incurred by this organisation to participate in the project, including direct and indirect costs. This amount is a subset of the overall project budget.