Lipoprotein subfractions by nuclear magnetic resonance are associated with tumor characteristics in breast cancer

Abstract

BackgroundHigh-Density Lipoprotein (HDL)-cholesterol, has been associated with breast cancer development, but the association is under debate, and whether lipoprotein subfractions is associated with breast tumor characteristics remains unclear.MethodsAmong 56 women with newly diagnosed invasive breast cancer stage I/II, aged 35–75 years, pre-surgery overnight fasting serum concentrations of lipids were assessed, and body mass index (BMI) was measured. All breast tumors were immunohistochemically examined in the surgical specimen. Serum metabolomics of lipoprotein subfractions and their contents of cholesterol, free cholesterol, phospholipids, apolipoprotein-A1 and apolipoprotein-A2, were assessed using nuclear magnetic resonance. Principal component analysis, partial least square analysis, and uni- and multivariable linear regression models were used to study whether lipoprotein subfractions were associated with breast cancer tumor characteristics.ResultsThe breast cancer patients had following means: age at diagnosis: 55.1 years; BMI: 25.1 kg/m2; total-Cholesterol: 5.74 mmol/L; HDL-Cholesterol: 1.78 mmol/L; Low-Density Lipoprotein (LDL)-Cholesterol: 3.45 mmol/L; triglycerides: 1.18 mmol/L. The mean tumor size was 16.4 mm, and the mean Ki67 hotspot index was 26.5 %. Most (93 %) of the patients had estrogen receptor (ER) positive tumors (≥1 % ER+), and 82 % had progesterone receptor (PgR) positive tumors (≥10 % PgR+). Several HDL subfraction contents were strongly associated with PgR expression: Apolipoprotein-A1 (β 0.46, CI 0.22–0.69, p < 0.001), HDL cholesterol (β 0.95, CI 0.51–1.39, p < 0.001), HDL free cholesterol (β 2.88, CI 1.28–4.48, p = 0.001), HDL phospholipids (β 0.70, CI 0.36–1.04, p < 0.001). Similar results were observed for the subfractions of HDL1-3. We observed inverse associations between HDL phospholipids and Ki67 (β -0.25, p = 0.008), and in particular between HDL1’s contents of cholesterol, phospholipids, apolipoprotein-A1, apolipoprotein-A2 and Ki67. No association was observed between lipoproteins and ER expression.ConclusionOur findings hypothesize associations between different lipoprotein subfractions, and PgR expression, and Ki 67 % in breast tumors. These findings may have clinical implications, but require confirmation in larger studies.Electronic supplementary materialThe online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s12944-016-0225-4) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

Impact of Statin Use on Outcomes in Triple Negative Breast Cancer

“…We had previously seen HDL superseded statin use in IBC 16 . A recent prospective analysis of lipoproteins in 56 women with predominantly ER+ breast cancer demonstrated some preliminary associations between HDL fractions and progesterone expression as well as ki-67 24 . This may implicate a further degree of complexity in determining the role of statins.…”

Metabolite and lipoprotein responses and prediction of weight gain during breast cancer treatment

“…Lipoprotein subclassification was performed by Bruker BioSpin (Bruker IVDr Lipoprotein Subclass Analysis TM ), based on onedimensional NOESY MR spectra using a partial least-squares regression model. 20,21 Concentrations of cholesterol (CH), free cholesterol (FC), phospholipids (PL), and apolipoprotein A1 (A1), A2 and B (AB) in plasma, as well as in each of the lipoprotein classes (very-low-density lipoprotein (VLDL), intermediate-density lipoprotein (IDL), LDL and HDL), were estimated using a regression model developed by Bruker BioSpin. Additionally, each lipoprotein class was further subdivided into subfractions according to their density.…”

Increased Lipids Levels and Breast Cancer

“…[15][16][17] In addition, different lipoproteins show that the effect of HDL-cholesterol on breast cancer prognosis is different from the lower breast cancer phenotype, 18 according to progesterone receptor expression. 19 The relation between serum lipids levels and breast cancer risk is unclear; because cholesterol is the precursor to sex steroid hormones, higher levels of cholesterol could possibly increase risk of breast cancer. Present study was planned to evaluate the relationship between serum lipids and breast cancer by menopausal status, type and stage of cancer.…”