%0 Journal Article
%T Differential expression of cancer associated proteins in breast milk based on age at first full term pregnancy
%A Wenyi Qin
%A Ke Zhang
%A Beth Kliethermes
%A Rachel L Ruhlen
%A Eva P Browne
%A Kathleen F Arcaro
%A Edward R Sauter
%J BMC Cancer
%D 2012
%I BioMed Central
%R 10.1186/1471-2407-12-100
%X We analyzed breast milk from 72 lactating women. Samples were collected within 10 days of the onset of lactation (baseline-BL), two months after lactation started and during breast weaning (W). We measured 16 proteins (11 kallikreins (KLKs), basic fibroblast growth factor, YKL-40, neutrophil gelatinase-associated lipocalin and transforming growth factor (TGF) ¦Â-1 and -2) associated with breast cancer, most known to be secreted into milk.During lactation there was a significant change in the expression of 14 proteins in women < 26 years old and 9 proteins in women > = 26 at FFTP. The most significant (p < .001) changes from BL to W in women divided by FFTP age (< 26 vs. > = 26) were in KLK3,6, 8, and TGF¦Â2 in women < 26; and KLK6, 8, and TGF¦Â2 in women > = 26. There was a significant increase (p = .022) in KLK8 expression from BL to W depending on FFTP age. Examination of DNA methylation in the promoter region of KLK6 revealed high levels of methylation that did not explain the observed changes in protein levels. On the other hand, KLK6 and TGF¦Â1 expression were significantly associated (r2 = .43, p = .0050).The expression profile of milk proteins linked to breast cancer is influenced by age at FFTP. These proteins may play a role in future cancer risk.
%K Lactation
%K Breast cancer risk
%K First full term pregnancy
%K Milk proteins Funded in part by Avon Foundation for Women
%U http://www.biomedcentral.com/1471-2407/12/100/abstract