It is well-known that serum and cellular concentrations of zinc are altered in breast cancer patients. Specifically, there are notable zinc hyper-aggregates in breast tumor cells when compared to normal mammary epithelial cells. However, the mechanisms responsible for zinc accumulation and the consequences of zinc dysregulation are poorly understood. In this review, we detailed cellular zinc regulation/dysregulation under the influence of varying levels of sex steroids and breast cancer tumorigenesis to try to better understand the intricate relationship between these factors based on our current understanding of the CmPn/CmP signaling network. We also made some efforts to propose a relationship between zinc signaling and the CmPn/CmP signaling network.
Keywords: CCM signaling complex (CSC); CmP signaling network; CmPn signaling network; Zinc; classic nuclear progesterone receptors (nPRs); non-classic membrane progesterone receptors (mPRs/PAQRs); progesterone (PRG).