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Breast cancer is the most common malignant tumor in women and the main cancer causing death in females. Breast cancer therefore seriously threatens women's health and life span. Although there are a variety of comprehensive and multidisciplinary treatments for different types of breast cancer, the overall prognosis of advanced breast cancer remains unsatisfactory. The incidence of breast cancer is increasing year by year, and the age of onset is gradually decreasing, making the discovery of a breakthrough in breast cancer treatment a major problem that needs to be solved urgently. A large number of studies have shown the growth of breast cancer cells can be inhibited by inducing ferroptosis. Acid sphingomyelinase has also been confirmed to be involved in cell death induced by ferroptotic agonists. This article reviews the progress in the use of acid sphingomyelinase and ferroptosis in the treatment of breast cancer, and summarizes the mechanism of ferroptosis in breast cancer cells and its correlation with acid sphingomyelinase. This review will provide a theoretical foundation for seeking new therapeutic targets for breast cancer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and purpose: The novel centrosomal regulatory protein Sec23 homolog B (SEC23B) regulates autophagy in cells, thereby providing energy and nutrients that contribute to tumor growth and distant metastasis. However, whether this role is involved in the mechanism of infiltrative metastasis in breast cancer is unclear. The aim of this study was to investigate the molecular mechanism by which SEC23B promotes breast cancer infiltration and metastasis. Methods: The association between SEC23B expression and breast cancer prognosis and metastasis was analyzed using Kaplan-Meier Plotter database and HCMDB database. MCF-7 cells were divided into vector group (control) and SEC23B overexpression plasmid group (SEC23B), and MDA231-LM2 cells were divided into SEC23B knockdown group (sh-SEC23B) and control group (sh-NC). Western blot was used to detect the expressions of SEC23B, autophagy-associated proteins [dead bone fragment 1 (SQSTM1, p62), microtubule-associated-protein light-chain-3 (LC3)] and extracellular-regulated protein kinases (ERK)/mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) pathway proteins in breast cancer cells. Cell migration was assessed by transwell assay and wound healing assay, and autophagic granules in cells were detected by immunofluorescence staining. In addition, an in vivo intraperitoneal tumor model was constructed to study the effect of SEC23B on breast cancer cell metastasis in vivo. Results: The overall survival of breast cancer patients with high SEC23B expression was significantly shorter than that of patients with low SEC23B expression. The expression of SEC23B in metastatic breast cancer was significantly higher than that in breast cancer without metastasis. SEC23B protein levels were lower in primary breast cancer cells (MCF-7, BT-549, MDA-MB-468 and MDA-MB-453) than in metastatic breast cancer cells (MDA231- LM2 and ZR-75-30). Compared with the control group, the SEC23B group significantly accelerated cell migration (P<0.001). Compared with the sh-NC group, the sh-SEC23B group significantly reduced cell migration (P<0.001). Compared with the control group, the expression level of LC3A/B and the formation of autophagy particles in the SEC23B group were significantly increased, while the expression of p62 protein and the phosphorylation levels of mTOR and ERK were decreased. Compared with the sh-NC group, the LC3A/B expression level and the formation of autophagy particles were significantly decreased in the sh-SEC23B group, and the phosphorylation levels of mTOR and ERK were increased, especially under starvation conditions. In in vivo experiments, tumor weight was significantly lower in the sh-SEC23B group compared with the sh-NC group (P<0.01), and there was an increase in necrotic tissue and a decrease in tumor metastasis in lung tissue in mice. sh-SEC23B group mice had a significantly lower number of lung metastatic tumors and LC3 immunohistochemical staining than the sh-NC group (P<0.01). Conclusions: SEC23B induces breast cancer autophagy and promotes cancer cell metastasis by inhibiting ERK/mTOR signaling pathway. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective To investigate the correlation between preoperative MRI signs and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) in breast cancer, and to provide reference for the prediction of VEGF. Methods The preoperative MRI of 73 patients with breast cancer was retrospectively analyzed. The patients were divided into VEGF over expression (28) and VEGF low expression (45) groups. Clinicopathological and preoperative MR data of the two groups were analyzed by univariate analysis, and a multivariate diagnostic model was established by logistic regression equation. Independent predictors of the model for the diagnosis of VEGF in breast cancer were calculated. Results The results of univariate analysis showed that the expression of VEGF in breast cancer was closely related to the molecular subtype, histological grade and lymph node metastasis of breast cancer (P<0.05). The expression of VEGF was not correlated (P>0.05) with the type of tumor, apparent diffusion coefficient value and time signal curve, but was closely related to tumor diameter, ring enhancement, intratumoral hyperintensity and peritumoral edema (P<0.05). Multivariate logistic :regression analysis showed that histological classification (OR=I0.296, P=0.005), peripheral rim enhancement {OR=I0.819, P=0.030), and peritumoral edema (OR= 15.297, P=0.012) were independent predictors of VEGF in breast cancer (Hosmer-Lemeshow X²=S.224, P=0.733). Conclusion The expression of VEGF is closely related to many malignant biological behaviors of breast cancer. Preoperative MRI sign of peripheral rim enhancement and peritumoral edema can be independent predictor of VEGF expression in breast cancer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Expression and clinicopathological significance of S100 calcium binding protein A14(S100A14) in different molecular subtypes of breast cancer were explored to provide reference for identifying new molecular typing markers. Methods:Breast cancer tissues were taken cases for radical mastectomy patients from January 16, 2013 to 22 May 2014 at the Cancer Hospital Affiliated to the Xiangya Medical College of Central South University & the Cancer Hospital of Hunan province. Using immunohistochemistry to detect the expression of S100A14 in 254 breast cancer tissues, with emphasis on differences expression of the protein in different molecular subtypes of breast carcinoma and its correlation with clinicopathological factors, Kaplan-Meier analysis was applied for the relationship between S100 A14 expression and prognosis of patients with breast cancer. Results: The positive expression of S100 A14 in four molecular subtypes of ER+/PR+/HER2+, ER+/PR+/HER2-, ER-/PR-/HER2+ and ER-/PR-/HER2-breast cancer was 38.5%, 47.1%, 75.5%, 80%, respectively. The expression of the 4 groups was the highest in the ER-/PR-/HER2-type and the lowest in the ER+/PR+/HER2+ type, and the difference between the 4 groups was significant(x2=32.997, P <0.001). The relationship between S100A14 and clinicopathological characteristics of 254 cases of breast cancer was analyzed. The expression of S100A14 was significantly negatively correlated with the expression of ER and PR(all r=-0.353, P<0.001), and was significantly positively correlated with postoperative recurrence of liver metastasis with breast cancer(r=0.134, P=0.040). There is no significant correlation between the expression of S100A14 and the clinicopathological features of type ER+/PR+/HER2+ and ER+/PR+/HER2-type breast cancer(P>0.05).In ER-/PR-/HER2+ type breast cancer. The positive expression rate of S100 A14 in axillary lymph node metastasis group was significantly higher than that without axillary lymph node metastasis group(x2=6.768, P=0.013), and S100A4 expression has a negative correlation with postoperative pulmonary metastasis(r=-0.272, P=0.044). Conclusion: The expression of S100A14 in breast cancer with different molecular subtypes is different, and its high expression is associated with metastasis or recurrence of breast cancer with different molecular types. It may be used as a candidate marker for molecular typing of breast cancer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]