UCL Discovery
UCL home » Library Services » Electronic resources » UCL Discovery

Aberrant regulation of RANKL/OPG in women at high risk of developing breast cancer

Kiechl, S; Schramek, D; Widschwendter, M; Fourkala, EO; Zaikin, A; Jones, A; Jaeger, B; ... Penninger, JM; + view all (2017) Aberrant regulation of RANKL/OPG in women at high risk of developing breast cancer. Oncotarget , 8 (2) pp. 2477-2484. 10.18632/oncotarget.14013. Green open access

[thumbnail of Menon_14013-209113-1-PB.pdf]
Preview
Text
Menon_14013-209113-1-PB.pdf

Download (1MB) | Preview

Abstract

Breast cancer is the most common female cancer, affecting approximately one in eight women during their lifetime in North America and Europe. Receptor Activator of NF-kB Ligand (RANKL), its receptor RANK and the natural antagonist osteoprotegerin (OPG) are essential regulators of bone resorption. We have initially shown that RANKL/RANK are essential for hormone-driven mammary epithelial proliferation in pregnancy and RANKL/RANK have been implicated in mammary stem cell biology. Using genetic mouse-models, we and others identified the RANKL/RANK system as a key regulator of sex hormone, BRCA1-mutation, and oncogene-driven breast cancer and we proposed that RANKL/RANK might be involved in the initiation of breast tumors. We now report that in postmenopausal women without known genetic predisposition, high RANKL and progesterone serum levels stratify a subpopulation of women at high risk of developing breast cancer 12-24 months before diagnosis (5.33-fold risk, 95%CI 1.5-25.4; P=0.02). In women with established breast cancer, we demonstrate that RANKL/OPG ratios change dependent on the presence of circulating tumor cells (CTCs). Finally, we show in a prospective human breast cancer cohort that alterations in RANKL/OPG ratios are significantly associated with breast cancer manifestation. These data indicate that the RANKL/RANK/OPG system is deregulated in post-menopausal women at high risk for breast cancer and in women with circulating tumor cells. Thus, serum levels of RANKL/OPG are potentially indicative of predisposition and progression of breast cancer in humans. Advancement of our findings towards clinical application awaits prior validation in independent patient cohorts.

Type: Article
Title: Aberrant regulation of RANKL/OPG in women at high risk of developing breast cancer
Location: United States
Open access status: An open access version is available from UCL Discovery
DOI: 10.18632/oncotarget.14013
Publisher version: http://dx.doi.org/10.18632/oncotarget.14013
Language: English
Additional information: All site content, except where otherwise noted, is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/).
Keywords: Gerotarget, RANKL/RANK, breast cancer
UCL classification: UCL
UCL > Provost and Vice Provost Offices > School of Life and Medical Sciences
UCL > Provost and Vice Provost Offices > School of Life and Medical Sciences > Faculty of Medical Sciences
UCL > Provost and Vice Provost Offices > School of Life and Medical Sciences > Faculty of Population Health Sciences > Inst of Clinical Trials and Methodology
UCL > Provost and Vice Provost Offices > School of Life and Medical Sciences > Faculty of Population Health Sciences > Inst of Clinical Trials and Methodology > MRC Clinical Trials Unit at UCL
UCL > Provost and Vice Provost Offices > School of Life and Medical Sciences > Faculty of Population Health Sciences > UCL EGA Institute for Womens Health
UCL > Provost and Vice Provost Offices > School of Life and Medical Sciences > Faculty of Population Health Sciences > UCL EGA Institute for Womens Health > Womens Cancer
URI: https://discovery.ucl.ac.uk/id/eprint/1534449
Downloads since deposit
0Downloads
Download activity - last month
Download activity - last 12 months
Downloads by country - last 12 months

Archive Staff Only

View Item View Item