Maternal nutrition and fetal programming of breast cancer: influence of selenium deficiency or supplementation during rat gestational period on the susceptibility of female offspring to mammary carcinogenesis

• Grant number: 11/16368-1
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Doctorate (Direct)
• Start date: February 01, 2012
• End date: March 31, 2016
• Field of knowledge: Health Sciences - Nutrition - Nutrition Biochemistry
• Principal Investigator: Thomas Prates Ong
• Grantee: Mariana Papaléo Rosim
• Host Institution: Faculdade de Ciências Farmacêuticas (FCF). Universidade de São Paulo (USP). São Paulo , SP, Brazil
• Associated scholarship(s): 14/18500-2 - Analysis of morphological and epigenetic parameters in the mammary gland of female offspring of rats exposed to selenium deficiency or supplementation during gestation, BE.EP.DD

Abstract

Breast cancer is a significant public health problem, representing a major cause of death in women. Dietary factors have been identified as important modulators of the risk of developing cancer. Based on epidemiological studies and animal models, the essential micronutrient selenium has been highlighted as a promising dietary factor associated to breast cancer risk reduction. Breast cancer may have its origin in early development and thus the maternal diet could have important implications in the fetal programming of the disease. Deregulations of epigenetic processes in the early stages of life by dietary factors can cause permanent changes in the expression patterns of genes involved in cell proliferation, survival and differentiation control that are related to the development of cancer. It was found that selenium can modulate altered epigenetic processes in cancer, including DNA methylation and post-translational modifications in histones. In this context, this project aims to verify if selenium deficiency or supplementation during pregnancy in rats has an impact on the development of breast cancer in female offspring, as well as possible related cellular, molecular and epigenetic mechanisms. (AU)

Academic Publications

(References retrieved automatically from State of São Paulo Research Institutions)

ROSIM, Mariana Papaléo. Influence of selenium deficiency or supplementation during rat gestational period on the susceptibility of female offspring to mammary carcinogenesis. 2016. Doctoral Thesis - Universidade de São Paulo (USP). Conjunto das Químicas (IQ e FCF) (CQ/DBDCQ) São Paulo.