Leptin, obesity and breast cancer: progress to understanding the molecular connections. (December 2016)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Barone, Ines; Giordano, Cinzia; Bonofiglio, Daniela; Andò, Sebastiano; Catalano, Stefania
• Is Part Of: Current opinion in pharmacology. Volume 31(2016)
• Page Start: 83
• Page End: 89
• Publication Date: 2016-12
• Subjects: Pharmacology -- Periodicals; Pharmaceutical Preparations -- Periodicals; Drug Therapy -- Periodicals; Biopharmaceutics -- Periodicals; Pharmacologie -- Périodiques; Pharmacology; Periodicals; 615.105
• DOI: 10.1016/j.coph.2016.10.003
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1471-4892

Abstract

Highlights: Obesity is a pandemic condition associated with both risk and prognosis of breast cancer. The adipokine leptin is a plausible molecular link between obesity and breast cancer. Leptin signalling plays a critical role in breast cancer development and progression. Leptin emerges as an attractive therapeutic target for prevention and treatment of breast cancer. Abstract : Obesity has a complicated connection to both breast cancer risk and the clinical behaviour of the established disease. The obese setting provides a unique adipose tissue microenvironment that, in association with systemic endocrine modifications, promotes tumor initiation, primary growth, invasion, and metastatic progression. This review presents an overview of the clinical and experimental evidences highlighting the adipokine leptin as the most important molecular mediator of obesity-breast cancer axis. The research of leptin network operating in this context could launch a new field not only in the knowledge of risk factors for breast cancer but also in the development of leptin targeting drugs as promising anticancer agents.