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Review
. 2022 Jun 27;34(4):359-366.
doi: 10.4103/tcmj.tcmj_62_22. eCollection 2022 Oct-Dec.

Role of adipocyte browning in prostate and breast tumor microenvironment

Hui-Chen Ku  1 , Ching-Feng Cheng  1   2   3
Affiliations
Review

Role of adipocyte browning in prostate and breast tumor microenvironment

Hui-Chen Ku et al. Tzu Chi Med J. .

Abstract

Prostate cancer (PC) and breast cancer (BC) are the most common cancers in men and women, respectively, in developed countries. The increased incidence of PC and BC largely reflects an increase in the prevalence of obesity and metabolic syndrome. In pathological conditions involving the development and progression of PC and BC, adipose tissue plays an important role via paracrine and endocrine signaling. The increase in the amount of local adipose tissue, specifically periprostatic adipose tissue, may be a key contributor to the PC pathobiology. Similarly, breast adipose tissue secretion affects various aspects of BC by influencing tumor progression, angiogenesis, metastasis, and microenvironment. In this context, the role of white adipose tissue (WAT) has been extensively studied. However, the influence of browning of the WAT on the development and progression of PC and BC is unclear and has received less attention. In this review, we highlight that adipose tissue plays a vital role in the regulation of the tumor microenvironment in PC or BC and highlight the probable underlying mechanisms linking adipose tissue with PC or BC. We further discuss whether the browning of WAT could be a therapeutic strategy for the treatment of PC and BC.

Keywords: Adipocyte browning; Breast cancer; Prostate cancer; Tumor microenvironment.

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Conflict of interest statement

Dr. Ching-Feng Cheng, an editorial board member at Tzu Chi Medical Journal, had no role in the peer review process of or decision to publish this article. The other author declared no conflicts of interest in writing this article.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Proposed mechanisms for the link between obesity and prostate cancer progression. IGF: Insulin-like growth factor
Figure 2
Figure 2
Proposed mechanisms for the association between obesity and breast cancer progression. IGF: Insulin-like growth factor
Figure 3
Figure 3
The possible mechanisms involved in the tumor microenvironment regulated by adipocyte in prostate cancer and breast cancer. IGF: Insulin-like growth factor, IL: Interleukin, TNF: Tumor necrosis factor, MMP: Matrix metalloproteinase
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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