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The potential role of nicotine in breast cancer initiation, development, angiogenesis, invasion, metastasis, and resistance to therapy

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Abstract

A large body of research studying the relationship between tobacco and cancer has led to the knowledge that smoking cigarettes adversely affects cancer treatment while contributing to the development of various tobacco-related cancers. Nicotine is the main addictive component of tobacco smoke and promotes angiogenesis, proliferation, and epithelial–mesenchymal transition (EMT) while promoting growth and metastasis of tumors. Nicotine generally acts through the induction of the nicotinic acetylcholine receptors (nAChRs), although the contribution of other receptor subunits has also been reported. Nicotine contributes to the pathogenesis of a wide range of cancers including breast cancer through its carcinogens such as (4-methylnitrosamino)-1-(3-pyridyl)-1-butanone (NNK) and N-nitrosonornicotine (NNN). Current study aims to review the mechanistic function of nicotine in the initiation, development, angiogenesis, invasion, metastasis, and apoptosis of breast cancer with the main focus on nicotine acetylcholine receptors (nAChRs) and nAChR-mediated signaling pathways as well as on its potential for the development of an effective treatment against breast cancer. Moreover, we will try to demonstrate how nicotine leads to poor treatment response in breast cancer by enhancing the population, proliferation, and self-renewal of cancer stem cells (CSCs) through the activation of α7-nAChR receptors.

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Acknowledgements

We thank the Tabriz University of Medical Sciences and Urmia University for all their support to this research.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, Urmia University, Urmia, Iran

    Zhila Khodabandeh

  2. Department of Clinical Biochemistry and Medical Laboratories, Faculty of Medicine, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran

    Mohammad Valilo & Abbas Pirpour Tazehkand

  3. Department of Anatomical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran

    Kobra Velaei

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  1. Zhila Khodabandeh
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  2. Mohammad Valilo
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  3. Kobra Velaei
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  4. Abbas Pirpour Tazehkand
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ZK was involved in writing the article. MV was involved in drawing figures. KV and APT participated in the study design, manuscript drafting, and revising.

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Correspondence to Kobra Velaei or Abbas Pirpour Tazehkand.

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Khodabandeh, Z., Valilo, M., Velaei, K. et al. The potential role of nicotine in breast cancer initiation, development, angiogenesis, invasion, metastasis, and resistance to therapy. Breast Cancer 29, 778–789 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12282-022-01369-7

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12282-022-01369-7

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