Parity-induced decrease in systemic growth hormone alters mammary gland signaling: A potential role in pregnancy protection from breast cancer

Authors

Robert K. Dearth, The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley
David A. Delgado
Jill K. Hiney
Thushangi Pathiraja
Steffi Oesterreich
Dan Medina
W. Les Dees
Adrian V. Lee

Document Type

Article

Publication Date

3-2010

Abstract

Early full-term pregnancy is an effective natural protection against breast cancer in both humans and experimental rodents. The protective effect of an early pregnancy is in part linked to changes in circulating hormones that are involved in both normal breast development and breast cancer. For example, a reduction in circulating growth hormone (GH) has been shown to protect rats from carcinogen-induced mammary tumors. We examined the ability of a full-term pregnancy to alter the endocrine GH/IGF-I axis and how this change affected normal mammary gland function in two commonly used rat models (Sprague-Dawley and Wistar-Furth). Circulating GH and IGF-I were measured in blood drawn every 30 minutes from parous and aged-matched virgin (AMV) female rats. Mean serum GH levels were significantly decreased (p

Comments

Original published version available at https://doi.org/10.1158/1940-6207.CAPR-09-0074

Recommended Citation

Dearth, R. K., Delgado, D. A., Hiney, J. K., Pathiraja, T., Oesterreich, S., Medina, D., Dees, W. L., & Lee, A. V. (2010). Parity-Induced Decrease in Systemic Growth Hormone Alters Mammary Gland Signaling: A Potential Role in Pregnancy Protection from Breast Cancer. Cancer Prevention Research, 3(3), 312. https://doi.org/10.1158/1940-6207.CAPR-09-0074

Publication Title

Cancer Prevention Research

DOI

10.1158/1940-6207.CAPR-09-0074