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Insulin-like growth factor-I (IGF-I) and IGF-binding proteins blood serum levels in women with early- and late-stage breast cancer: mutual relationship and possible correlations with patients' hormonal status

  • Original Paper
  • Clinical Oncology
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Abstract

The pathogenesis and progression of breast cancer involve complex interactions between hormones and polypeptide growth factors such as insulin-like growth factor-I (IGF-I). IGF-I has been found in stromal fibroblasts derived from malignant and benign breast tissue and it is a mitogen for several breast cancer cell lines. It circulates bound to specific high-affinity binding proteins, which could act as either positive or negative modulators of tumorigenesis. This study has been addressed to characterize IGF-I and its binding proteins in the serum of 85 unselected patients with early breast cancer. The IGF-I concentration was assessed by radioimmunoassay of 69 out 85 samples before and after dissociation of the IGF-I and IGF-binding protein (IGF-BP) complex whereas IGF-BP of all 85 sera were analyzed by Western ligand blotting; estradiol and progesterone were measured by radioimmunoassay in native serum samples. In our study no differences in IGF-I serum levels between pre- and post-menopausal patients were observed. Patients with higher estradiol and progesterone serum levels did not present different IGF-I concentrations compared to patients with lower serum levels. Furthermore, IGF-I median values were not found to depend on estrogen receptor (ER) status. A heterogeneous quali-quantitative molecular pattern of binding proteins was detected: IGF-BP3 and IGF-BP1 were the most and the least expressed respectively. No correlations between ER status, or parameters related to the hormonal status, and IGF-I or binding proteins expression were observed. No significant differences in IGF-I concentration and IGF-BP expression were observed between cancer patients and a control group matched for age and menopausal status. Finally, preliminary collection of 20 sera derived from patients with late breast cancer was analyzed for IGF-I and its binding proteins content.

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Abbreviations

IGF :

insulin-like growth factor

BP :

binding protein

ER :

estrogen receptor

RIA :

radio-immunoassay

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Experimental Pharmacology, Istituto Nazionale per la Ricerca sul Cancro, Viale Benedetto XV, 10, I-16132, Genova, Italy

    Roberto Enrico Favoni, Alessandra de Cupis & Sabrina Sforzini

  2. Department of Medical Oncology II, Istituto Nazionale per la Ricerca sul Cancro, Viale Benedetto XV 10, I-16132, Genova, Italy

    Domenico Amoroso, Floriana Pensa & Loredana Miglietta

  3. Department of Chemical Cancerogenesis, Istituto Nazionale per la Ricerca sul Cancro, Viale Benedetto XV 10, I-16132, Genova, Italy

    Alessandra Perrotta

Authors
  1. Roberto Enrico Favoni
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  2. Alessandra de Cupis
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  3. Alessandra Perrotta
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  4. Sabrina Sforzini
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  5. Domenico Amoroso
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  6. Floriana Pensa
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  7. Loredana Miglietta
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Additional information

This study was partially supported by a grant to R. E. Favoni from the Associazione Italiana per la Riecerca sul Cancro (A.I.R.C.), Milan, Italy, which also supported A. de Cupis

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Favoni, R.E., de Cupis, A., Perrotta, A. et al. Insulin-like growth factor-I (IGF-I) and IGF-binding proteins blood serum levels in women with early- and late-stage breast cancer: mutual relationship and possible correlations with patients' hormonal status. J Cancer Res Clin Oncol 121, 674–682 (1995). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01218526

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01218526

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