• The Breast Cancer and the Environment Research Center
• Genomic Basis of Reproductive History in Breast Cancer
• Breast Cancer Therapy by Differentiation Gene Activation
• Estrogens and Breast Cancer
• Biomarkers of Exposure
• Biomarkers of Breast Cancer Prevention
• Epigenetics Control of Estrogen Induced Cell Transformation
• Prevention Trial in the use of r-hCG in Women of High Risk of Developing Breast Cancer
• Circadian Rhythm and Mammary Gland Development
• Fox Chase Cancer Center Breast Cancer Tissue Resources
• Characterization and Validation of Genomic Expression Signature of Pregnancy

Characterization and Validation of Genomic Expression Signature of Pregnancy

THIS STUDY IS Sponsored by Avon Foundation and performed in collaboration with New York University School of Medicine, Department of Obstetrics & Gynecology and Environmental, lMedicine, New York NY and the Mammography Department, Sunderby Hospital, Luleå, Sweden, University Hospital, Umeå, Sweden (gesicapre.fccc.edu) . This study is based on reported evidence that a specific genomic expression signature in breast epithelial cells characterizes women who have given birth and that such signature is not present in women who never experienced a full-term pregnancy (FTP)1-7. It proposes further confirmation and extension of these observations that will lead to a better understanding of the biological determinants of the lifetime protection from breast cancer that a FTP confers to the mother. The project’s goal is to characterize and validate the genomic signature of pregnancy in a manner independent of previous observations in preparation for a more complex program seeking to develop biomarkers reflecting the genomic and physiological changes associated with pregnancy. For accomplishing the aims of the study breast tissues will be obtained from core biopsy (CB) of healthy volunteer women for analysis of the patterns of gene expression for the establishment of a genomic signature of pregnancy that will be tested for reproducibility in repeated randomly selected measurements in an independent laboratory using strictly identical procedures. The genomic signature of pregnancy will be validated in a separate test group of ever pregnant versus never pregnant women from the same study population.

References

1. Balogh GA, Heulings R, Mailo DA, Russo PA, Sheriff F, Russo IH, Moral R, Russo J. Genomic signature induced by pregnancy in the human breast. Int.J.Oncol. 2006;28:399-410.
2. Russo J, Balogh GA, Heulings R, Mailo DA, Moral R, Russo PA, Sheriff F, Vanegas J, Russo IH. Molecular basis of pregnancy-induced breast cancer protection. Eur.J.Cancer Prev 2006;15:306-42
3. Russo J, Tay LK, Russo IH. Differentiation of the mammary gland and susceptibility to carcinogenesis. Breast Cancer Res Treat. 1982;2:5-73
4. Russo J, Russo IH. Hormonally induced differentiation: a novel approach to breast cancer prevention. J Cell Biochem.Suppl 1995;22:58-64
5. Balogh GA, Russo J, Mailo D, Heulings R, Russo P.A, Morrison P. Sheriff F, Russo IH. The breast of parous women without cancer has a different genomic profile compared to those with cancer. Int J. Oncol 2007;31-1-12
6. Russo, J., Balogh, G.A., Russo, I.H., and the FCCC Hospital Network Participants. Full term pregnancy induces a specific genomic signature in the human breast.  Cancer Epidemiol. Biomarkers and Prevention, 17(1): 51-66, 2008.
7. Russo J, Balogh GA, Russo IH. Breast cancer prevention.  Climacteric 2007; 10 (Supp 2): 47-53