Abstract
Higher physical activity levels and healthy body weights are associated with a lower risk of postmenopausal breast cancer. Little is known about the biological mechanisms underlying this association, but the microenvironment created in the breast tissue is of interest. Adipose tissue is recognized as an endocrine organ, responding to the local and systemic environment. PURPOSE: To explore the association between self-reported lifestyles factors, and breast adipose tissue and the microenvironment it creates. METHODS: Using a cross-sectional design, women undergoing reduction mammoplasty surgery were recruited. Participants completed standard questionnaires about their usual physical activity, weight history, reproductive history, and past-year dietary intake. Body weight was abstracted from medical records. A sample of breast tissue was collected during surgery. An adipose-rich section was isolated under sterile conditions. Part of the sample was formalin fixed (sectioned at 7 μm thickness for measurement of mean adipocyte size with Image J) and part was flash frozen for RNA isolation. Associations between mean adipocyte size and lifestyle variables were examined by multivariate analysis to determine associations between genes and lifestyle variables. RESULTS: Of 72 women recruited, RNA was isolated from 65 samples. Participants were a mean age of 43 years (range 19-70) and had a mean body mass index of 27.0 kg/m2 (SD 5.0). BMI was positively associated with adipocyte size (β = 0.06, p<0.01) and transportation physical activity was negatively associated with adipocyte size (β = -0.25, p=0.02). Six genes, namely SLC27A2, TTC36, WHSC1L1, AASS, MOCS1, GLYCTK, were found to be associated with adipocyte size. CONCLUSION: Adipose tissue biology is associated with lifestyle exposures in normal breast tissue. Our findings provide directions for future research into the impact of lifestyle on the microenvironment of healthy breast tissue.
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