Introduction: This study aims to investigate the relationship between breast white adipose tissue (WAT) inflammation and being overweight or obese, menopausal status, and metabolic syndrome-related indicators in breast cancer patients as well as the association between adipocyte size and the severity of WAT inflammation and body mass index (BMI).
Methods: The crown-like structures (CLS-B) formed by macrophages surrounding dying or dead adipocytes can be used to identify breast WAT inflammation. In this study, breast WAT and fasting blood from 136 Chinese women with breast cancer were collected for analysis. Cluster of differentiation 68 (CD68) immunohistochemical staining was performed to identify CLS-B, and the adipocyte size was measured by hematoxylin and eosin staining.
Results: The results showed that breast WAT inflammation usually occurs in overweight/obese breast cancer patients, and the severity of inflammation is positively correlated with adipocyte hypertrophy. We did not observe a direct association between WAT inflammation and menopausal status. In addition, the presence of WAT inflammation is associated with abnormalities in circulating factors associated with metabolic syndrome such as higher serum lipid, glucose, and C-reactive protein levels.
Conclusion: Overweight/obese breast cancer patients may be more prone to breast WAT inflammation and may be associated with abnormalities in circulatory markers associated with metabolic syndrome.
Keywords: Breast neoplasms; Crown-like structures; Inflammation; Obesity; White adipose tissue.