Nutrition and fetal origin of breast cancer: effect of zinc deficiency or supplementation during gestational phase of mice on offspring's susceptibility to mammary carcinogenesis

• Grant number: 13/04960-9
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Doctorate (Direct)
• Effective date (Start): July 01, 2013
• Effective date (End): December 31, 2015
• Field of knowledge: Health Sciences - Nutrition - Nutrition Biochemistry
• Principal Investigator: Thomas Prates Ong
• Grantee: Raquel Santana da Cruz
• Host Institution: Faculdade de Ciências Farmacêuticas (FCF). Universidade de São Paulo (USP). São Paulo , SP, Brazil

Abstract

Breast cancer is an important public health problem, representing the main cause of women death worldwide. Dietetic factors, such as omega-3 fatty-acids, flavonoids, vitamins A and E, and micronutrients have been associated with the reduction of breast cancer risk. Zinc is a micronutrient of remarkable importance for health, essential for several cellular mechanisms, which may influence the development of breast cancer through epigenetic mechanisms, among others. A hypothesis not frequently addressed in the literature, although biologically plausible, considers the fetal origin of breast cancer, a developmental stage in which the mammary gland would be more sensitive to the influence of maternal diet and hormone levels. The maternal diet during pregnancy seems to have significant influence in the modulation of the intrauterine environment and, consequently, in programming the risk of development of breast cancer in offspring through the induction of morphological and molecular changes. The inadequate modulation of the epigenome in early life may have implications for the offspring throughout life, modulating the susceptibility to the risk of chronic diseases, including breast cancer. The exposure during the fetal period, to zinc, seems also to modulate the susceptibility to the development of chronic diseases, such as cardiovascular diseases and renal dysfunctions. Thereby, it would be interesting to evaluate the effects of zinc deficiency or supplementation in maternal diet during pregnancy period in the susceptibility of breast cancer in offspring. In this context we propose to evaluate if zinc is a dietary factor that may modify the risk of breast cancer during early life, by modulation of morphological, molecular and epigenetic events. (AU)

Scientific publications

(References retrieved automatically from Web of Science and SciELO through information on FAPESP grants and their corresponding numbers as mentioned in the publications by the authors)

DA CRUZ, RAQUEL SANTANA; ANDRADE, FABIA DE OLIVEIRA; DE OCA CARIONI, VIVIAN MONTES; ROSIM, MARIANA PAPALEO; PAULINO MIRANDA, MAYARA LILIAN; FONTELLES, CAMILE CASTILHO; DE OLIVEIRA, PEDRO VITORIANO; BARBISAN, LUIS FERNANDO; CASTRO, INAR ALVES; ONG, THOMAS PRATES. Dietary zinc deficiency or supplementation during gestation increases breast cancer susceptibility in adult female mice offspring following a J-shaped pattern and through distinct mechanisms. Food and Chemical Toxicology, v. 134, DEC 2019. (13/04960-9, 13/07914-8, 11/23259-4)

Academic Publications

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

CRUZ, Raquel Santana da. Nutrition and fetal origin of breast cancer: effect of zinc deficiency or supplementation during gestational phase of mice on offspring\'s susceptibility to mammary carcinogenesis. 2016. Doctoral Thesis - Universidade de São Paulo (USP). Conjunto das Químicas (IQ e FCF) (CQ/DBDCQ) São Paulo.