ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: Accumulating evidence has demonstrated that leptin is associated to the tumorigenesis and progression of breast cancer (BC). However, these studies remain inconsistent. Thus, a meta-analysis was conducted to investigate the role of leptin in the patients with BC. METHOD: A systematic search in PubMed, Embase, ISI Web of Science, and Chinese National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI) databases was conducted up to September 1, 2017. The standardized mean difference (SMD) with 95% confidence interval (CI) was applied to pool the effect size. A funnel plot and Egger test were used to evaluate publication bias. RESULTS: Finally, 43 eligible studies were included in the current meta-analysis. Overall, serum leptin levels in BC cases were significantly higher compared with the controls (SMD = 0.61, Pâ<.0001). When subgroup analyses were restricted to ethnicity and menstrual status, higher serum leptin concentration was also detected in patients with BC. Moreover, BC cases with body mass index (BMI) >25 indicated significantly higher serum leptin levels (SMD = 1.48, P = .034). Furthermore, the BC cases with lymph node metastases showed significantly higher serum leptin concentration (SMD = 0.53, Pâ=â.015). CONCLUSION: The present meta-analysis suggests that the serum leptin may profiles as a pivotal role in the pathogenesis and metastasis of BC. In addition, leptin will provide useful information for a therapeutic target to treat BC.
Subject(s)
Breast Neoplasms/blood , Leptin/blood , Biomarkers, Tumor , Body Mass Index , Breast Neoplasms/pathology , Disease Progression , Ethnicity , Female , Humans , Lymphatic MetastasisABSTRACT
OBJECTIVE: To investigate the effect of mifepristone on the expression of Caspase-3 in the granulosa cells. METHODS: Forty Sprague-Dawley (SD) female rats with (230 +/- 20) g weight were divided into four groups, low-dose group with 1.04 mg/(kg x d) of mifepristone, middle-dose group with 2.604 mg/(kg x d) of mifepristone, high dose group with 10.4 mg/(kg x d) of mifepristone, as well as blank group. Mifepristone tablets were given through gastromy in diestrus of rat for four weeks. Rats were sacrificed after the treatment, and the the expression of Caspase-3 in the granulosa cells of developing follicles was detected by immunohistochemical staining. RESULTS: The Caspase-3 protein expression was observed in granulosa cells of developing follicles, while the positive expression level and integrated optical density (IOD) value were increased along with the dosage of mifepristone increasing. The difference among the three dosage groups were significant (P < 0.05). CONCLUSION: Regulating Caspase-3 protein expression may be one of the ways for mifepristone inducing granulosa cell apoptosis.
