Skip to main content

Use of Visceral Adipocyte Biomarkers in Endometrial Cancer

  • Reference work entry
Biomarkers in Cancer

Abstract

Repositories of visceral adipocytes, such as the omentum, have historically been regarded as accessory organs, providing insulation, mechanical, and/or nutritional support. However, the discovery of key adipokines and immune mediators within visceral adipocytes has precipitated revisiting and redefining the traditional function of the visceral adipose tissue, particularly as adipocytes relate to cancer development and progression. Parallel studies of the biology of adipocytes in obesity and cancer have also identified perturbations in cellular homeostasis with an imbalance of secreted adipokines tipped in favor of inflammation within the microenvironment as well as endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress and its master regulator, the glucose-regulated protein-78 (GRP78). These proteins are detectable in peripheral circulation and may provide insight into tumor biology and prognosis. Given the strong link between adiposity and endometrial cancer, evaluating these adipocyte-derived factors in the context may reveal a useful tool to aid clinical decisions. This chapter reviews several biomarker candidates emanating from adipocytes and the biological basis for their role in endometrial cancer.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this chapter

Institutional subscriptions

Abbreviations

AMPK:

AMP-Activated Protein Kinase

BMI:

Body Mass Index

cAMP:

Cyclic AMP

COX-2:

Cyclooxygenase-2

CT:

Computed Tomography

EAC:

Endometrioid Adenocarcinoma

ER:

Endoplasmic Reticulum

FABP4:

Fatty Acid-Binding Protein 4

GPER:

G protein-Coupled Estrogen Receptor

GRP78:

Glucose-Regulated Protein 78

HMW:

High Molecular Weight

IGF:

Insulin Growth Factor

IGFBP:

Insulin Growth Factor-Binding Protein

IRS:

Insulin Receptor Substrate

JNK:

c-Jun N-Terminal Kinase

LMW:

Low Molecular Weight

MCP-1:

Monocyte Chemotactic Protein-1

MMW:

Medium Molecular Weight

mTOR:

Mammalian Target of Rapamycin

NF-κB:

Nuclear Factor κB

PPAR-α:

Peroxisome Proliferator-Activated Receptor-α

PPAR-γ:

Peroxisome Proliferator-Activated Receptor-γ

SOCS-3:

Suppressors of Cytokine Signaling-3

STAT-3:

Signal Transducer and Activator of Transcription-3

UCP1:

Uncoupling Protein 1

UPR:

Unfolded Protein Response

VEGF:

Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor

References

  • Ashizawa N, Yahata T, Quan J, et al. Serum leptin-adiponectin ratio and endometrial cancer risk in postmenopausal female subjects. Gynecol Oncol. 2010;119:65–9.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Attias-Geva Z, Bentov I, Fishman A, et al. Insulin-like growth factor-I receptor inhibition by specific tyrosine kinase inhibitor NVP-AEW541 in endometrioid and serous papillary endometrial cancer cell lines. Gynecol Oncol. 2011a;121:383–9.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Attias-Geva Z, Bentov I, Ludwig DL, et al. Insulin-like growth factor-I receptor (IGF-IR) targeting with monoclonal antibody cixutumumab (IMC-A12) inhibits IGF-I action in endometrial cancer cells. Eur J Cancer. 2011b;47:1717–26.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Banks AS, Davis SM, Bates SH, et al. Activation of downstream signals by the long form of the leptin receptor. J Biol Chem. 2000;275:14563–72.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Ben-Jonathan N, Hugo ER, Brandebourg TD. Effects of bisphenol A on adipokine release from human adipose tissue: implications for the metabolic syndrome. Mol Cell Endocrinol. 2009;304:49–54.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • Benomar Y, Roy AF, Aubourg A, et al. Cross down-regulation of leptin and insulin receptor expression and signalling in a human neuronal cell line. Biochem J. 2005;388:929–39.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • Bifulco G, Miele C, Di Jeso B, et al. Endoplasmic reticulum stress is activated in endometrial adenocarcinoma. Gynecol Oncol. 2012;125:220–5.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Bitelman C, Sarfstein R, Sarig M, et al. IGF1R-directed targeted therapy enhances the cytotoxic effect of chemotherapy in endometrial cancer. Cancer Lett. 2013;335:153–9.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Bruchim I, Werner H. Targeting IGF-1 signaling pathways in gynecologic malignancies. Expert Opin Ther Targets. 2013;17:307–20.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Calle EE, Rodriguez C, Walker-Thurmond K, et al. Overweight, obesity, and mortality from cancer in a prospectively studied cohort of U.S. adults. N Engl J Med. 2003;348:1625–38.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Cani PD, Amar J, Iglesias MA, et al. Metabolic endotoxemia initiates obesity and insulin resistance. Diabetes. 2007;56:1761–72.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Carino C, Olawaiye AB, Cherfils S, et al. Leptin regulation of proangiogenic molecules in benign and cancerous endometrial cells. Int J Cancer. 2008;123:2782–90.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • Catalano S, Giordano C, Rizza P, et al. Evidence that leptin through STAT and CREB signaling enhances cyclin D1 expression and promotes human endometrial cancer proliferation. J Cell Physiol. 2009;218:490–500.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Cust AE, Kaaks R, Friedenreich C, et al. Plasma adiponectin levels and endometrial cancer risk in pre- and postmenopausal women. J Clin Endocrinol Metab. 2007;92:255–63.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Dalamaga M, Diakopoulos KN, Mantzoros CS. The role of adiponectin in cancer: a review of current evidence. Endocr Rev. 2012;33:547–94.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • Daneshmand S, Quek ML, Lin E, et al. Glucose-regulated protein GRP78 is up-regulated in prostate cancer and correlates with recurrence and survival. Hum Pathol. 2007;38:1547–52.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • de Bono JS, Attard G, Adjei A, et al. Potential applications for circulating tumor cells expressing the insulin-like growth factor-I receptor. Clin Cancer Res. 2007;13:3611–16.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • De Marco P, Bartella V, Vivacqua A, et al. Insulin-like growth factor-I regulates GPER expression and function in cancer cells. Oncogene. 2013;32:678–88.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Diaz ES, Karlan BY, Li AJ. Obesity-associated adipokines correlate with survival in epithelial ovarian cancer. Gynecol Oncol. 2013;129:353–7.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Erridge C, Attina T, Spickett CM, et al. A high-fat meal induces low-grade endotoxemia: evidence of a novel mechanism of postprandial inflammation. Am J Clin Nutr. 2007;86:1286–92.

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Fantuzzi G. Adipose tissue, adipokines, and inflammation. J Allergy Clin Immunol. 2005;115:911–19; quiz 920.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Fox CS, Massaro JM, Hoffmann U, et al. Abdominal visceral and subcutaneous adipose tissue compartments: association with metabolic risk factors in the Framingham Heart Study. Circulation. 2007;116:39–48.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Friedman JM, Halaas JL. Leptin and the regulation of body weight in mammals. Nature. 1998;395:763–70.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Fruhbeck G. Intracellular signalling pathways activated by leptin. Biochem J. 2006;393:7–20.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Gao J, Tian J, Lv Y, et al. Leptin induces functional activation of cyclooxygenase-2 through JAK2/STAT3, MAPK/ERK, and PI3K/AKT pathways in human endometrial cancer cells. Cancer Sci. 2009;100:389–95.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Giovannucci E, Harlan DM, Archer MC, et al. Diabetes and cancer: a consensus report. CA Cancer J Clin. 2010;60:207–21.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Gray MJ, Mhawech-Fauceglia P, Yoo E, et al. AKT inhibition mitigates GRP78 (glucose-regulated protein) expression and contribution to chemoresistance in endometrial cancers. Int J Cancer. 2013;133:21–30.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • Grisouard J, Dembinski K, Mayer D, et al. Targeting AMP-activated protein kinase in adipocytes to modulate obesity-related adipokine production associated with insulin resistance and breast cancer cell proliferation. Diabetol Metab Syndr. 2011;3:16.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • Gu L, Okada Y, Clinton SK, et al. Absence of monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 reduces atherosclerosis in low density lipoprotein receptor-deficient mice. Mol Cell. 1998;2:275–81.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Hefetz-Sela S, Scherer PE. Adipocytes: impact on tumor growth and potential sites for therapeutic intervention. Pharmacol Ther. 2013;138:197–210.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • Hegyi K, Fulop K, Kovacs K, et al. Leptin-induced signal transduction pathways. Cell Biol Int. 2004;28:159–69.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Hillenbrand A, Fassler J, Huber N, et al. Changed adipocytokine concentrations in colorectal tumor patients and morbidly obese patients compared to healthy controls. BMC Cancer. 2012;12:545.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • Hirano S, Ito N, Takahashi S, et al. Clinical implications of insulin-like growth factors through the presence of their binding proteins and receptors expressed in gynecological cancers. Eur J Gynaecol Oncol. 2004;25:187–91.

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Hu J, Liu Z, Wang X. Does TP53 mutation promote ovarian cancer metastasis to omentum by regulating lipid metabolism? Med Hypotheses. 2013;81:515–20.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Kadowaki T, Yamauchi T. Adiponectin and adiponectin receptors. Endocr Rev. 2005;26:439–51.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Kahn HS, Bullard KM, Barker LE, et al. Differences between adiposity indicators for predicting all-cause mortality in a representative sample of United States non-elderly adults. PLoS One. 2012;7:e50428.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • Kamimura D, Ishihara K, Hirano T. IL-6 signal transduction and its physiological roles: the signal orchestration model. Rev Physiol Biochem Pharmacol. 2003;149:1–38.

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Karahanoglu E, Adanir I, Boyraz G, et al. Preoperative serum leptin levels in patients with endometrial cancer and its correlation with prognostic variables. Eur J Gynaecol Oncol. 2012;33:278–80.

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Kindler HL, Richards DA, Garbo LE, et al. A randomized, placebo-controlled phase 2 study of ganitumab (AMG 479) or conatumumab (AMG 655) in combination with gemcitabine in patients with metastatic pancreatic cancer. Ann Oncol. 2012;23:2834–42.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Kline AD, Becker GW, Churgay LM, et al. Leptin is a four-helix bundle: secondary structure by NMR. FEBS Lett. 1997;407:239–42.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Klopp AH, Zhang Y, Solley T, et al. Omental adipose tissue-derived stromal cells promote vascularization and growth of endometrial tumors. Clin Cancer Res. 2012;18:771–82.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Lee AS. GRP78 induction in cancer: therapeutic and prognostic implications. Cancer Res. 2007;67:3496–9.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Lee AS. The Par-4-GRP78 TRAIL, more twists and turns. Cancer Biol Ther. 2009;8:2103–5.

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • Lee GH, Proenca R, Montez JM, et al. Abnormal splicing of the leptin receptor in diabetic mice. Nature. 1996;379:632–5.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Lin CY, Chen WH, Liao CT, et al. Positive association of glucose-regulated protein 78 during oral cancer progression and the prognostic value in oral precancerous lesions. Head Neck. 2010;32:1028–39.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Low QE, Drugea IA, Duffner LA, et al. Wound healing in MIP-1alpha(−/−) and MCP-1(−/−) mice. Am J Pathol. 2001;159:457–63.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • Luhn P, Dallal CM, Weiss JM, et al. Circulating adipokine levels and endometrial cancer risk in the prostate, lung, colorectal, and ovarian cancer screening trial. Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev. 2013;22:1304–12.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Mackintosh ML, Crosbie EJ. Obesity-driven endometrial cancer: is weight loss the answer? BJOG. 2013;120:791–4.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Matsuo K, Gray MJ, Yang DY, et al. The endoplasmic reticulum stress marker, glucose-regulated protein-78 (GRP78) in visceral adipocytes predicts endometrial cancer progression and patient survival. Gynecol Oncol. 2013;128:552–9.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • McCawley GM, Ferriss JS, Geffel D, et al. Cancer in obese women: potential protective impact of bariatric surgery. J Am Coll Surg. 2009;208:1093–8.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • McTiernan A, Irwin M, Vongruenigen V. Weight, physical activity, diet, and prognosis in breast and gynecologic cancers. J Clin Oncol. 2010;28:4074–80.

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • Misra UK, Payne S, Pizzo SV. Ligation of prostate cancer cell surface GRP78 activates a proproliferative and antiapoptotic feedback loop: a role for secreted prostate-specific antigen. J Biol Chem. 2011;286:1248–59.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Modesitt SC, Hsu JY, Chowbina SR, et al. Not all fat is equal: differential gene expression and potential therapeutic targets in subcutaneous adipose, visceral adipose, and endometrium of obese women with and without endometrial cancer. Int J Gynecol Cancer. 2012;22:732–41.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Mori H, Hanada R, Hanada T, et al. Socs3 deficiency in the brain elevates leptin sensitivity and confers resistance to diet-induced obesity. Nat Med. 2004;10:739–43.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Munzberg H, Myers Jr MG. Molecular and anatomical determinants of central leptin resistance. Nat Neurosci. 2005;8:566–70.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Nieman KM, Kenny HA, Penicka CV, et al. Adipocytes promote ovarian cancer metastasis and provide energy for rapid tumor growth. Nat Med. 2011;17:1498–503.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • Nieman KM, Romero IL, Van Houten B, et al. Adipose tissue and adipocytes support tumorigenesis and metastasis. Biochim Biophys Acta. 2013;1831:1533–41.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • Nowosielski K, Pozowski J, Ulman-Wlodarz I, et al. Adiponectin to leptin index as a marker of endometrial cancer in postmenopausal women with abnormal vaginal bleeding: an observational study. Neuro Endocrinol Lett. 2012;33:217–23.

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Oh JC, Wu W, Tortolero-Luna G, et al. Increased plasma levels of insulin-like growth factor 2 and insulin-like growth factor binding protein 3 are associated with endometrial cancer risk. Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev. 2004;13:748–52.

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Pengchong H, Tao H. Expression of IGF-1R, VEGF-C and D2-40 and their correlation with lymph node metastasis in endometrial adenocarcinoma. Eur J Gynaecol Oncol. 2011;32:660–4.

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Perez-Perez R, Ortega-Delgado FJ, Garcia-Santos E, et al. Differential proteomics of omental and subcutaneous adipose tissue reflects their unalike biochemical and metabolic properties. J Proteome Res. 2009;8:1682–93.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Petridou E, Koukoulomatis P, Alexe DM, et al. Endometrial cancer and the IGF system: a case–control study in Greece. Oncology. 2003;64:341–5.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Pfaffenbach KT, Lee AS. The critical role of GRP78 in physiologic and pathologic stress. Curr Opin Cell Biol. 2011;23:150–6.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Pootrakul L, Datar RH, Shi SR, et al. Expression of stress response protein Grp78 is associated with the development of castration-resistant prostate cancer. Clin Cancer Res. 2006;12:5987–93.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Renehan AG. Bariatric surgery, weight reduction, and cancer prevention. Lancet Oncol. 2009;10:640–1.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Sarfstein R, Bruchim I, Fishman A, et al. The mechanism of action of the histone deacetylase inhibitor vorinostat involves interaction with the insulin-like growth factor signaling pathway. PLoS One. 2011;6:e24468.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • Schmandt RE, Iglesias DA, Co NN, et al. Understanding obesity and endometrial cancer risk: opportunities for prevention. Am J Obstet Gynecol. 2011;205:518–25.

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • Sharma NK, Das SK, Mondal AK, et al. Endoplasmic reticulum stress markers are associated with obesity in nondiabetic subjects. J Clin Endocrinol Metab. 2008;93:4532–41.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • Soliman PT, Wu D, Tortolero-Luna G, et al. Association between adiponectin, insulin resistance, and endometrial cancer. Cancer. 2006;106:2376–81.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Soliman PT, Cui X, Zhang Q, et al. Circulating adiponectin levels and risk of endometrial cancer: the prospective Nurses’ Health Study. Am J Obstet Gynecol. 2011;204:167 e161–5.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Takahashi K, Mizuarai S, Araki H, et al. Adiposity elevates plasma MCP-1 levels leading to the increased CD11b-positive monocytes in mice. J Biol Chem. 2003;278:46654–60.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Uramoto H, Sugio K, Oyama T, et al. Expression of endoplasmic reticulum molecular chaperone Grp78 in human lung cancer and its clinical significance. Lung Cancer. 2005;49:55–62.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Villavicencio A, Aguilar G, Arguello G, et al. The effect of overweight and obesity on proliferation and activation of AKT and ERK in human endometria. Gynecol Oncol. 2010;117:96–102.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Wagner M, Bjerkvig R, Wiig H, et al. Inflamed tumor-associated adipose tissue is a depot for macrophages that stimulate tumor growth and angiogenesis. Angiogenesis. 2012;15:481–95.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • Wagner M, Bjerkvig R, Wiig H, et al. Loss of adipocyte specification and necrosis augment tumor-associated inflammation. Adipocyte. 2013;2:176–83.

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • Wang M, Wey S, Zhang Y, et al. Role of the unfolded protein response regulator GRP78/BiP in development, cancer, and neurological disorders. Antioxid Redox Signal. 2009;11:2307–16.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • Westin SN, Broaddus RR, Deng L, et al. Molecular clustering of endometrial carcinoma based on estrogen-induced gene expression. Cancer Biol Ther. 2009;8:2126–35.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • White DW, Kuropatwinski KK, Devos R, et al. Leptin receptor (OB-R) signaling. Cytoplasmic domain mutational analysis and evidence for receptor homo-oligomerization. J Biol Chem. 1997;272:4065–71.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Wu J, Bostrom P, Sparks LM, et al. Beige adipocytes are a distinct type of thermogenic fat cell in mouse and human. Cell. 2012;150:366–76.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • Wunderlich CM, Hovelmeyer N, Wunderlich FT. Mechanisms of chronic JAK-STAT3-SOCS3 signaling in obesity. JAKSTAT. 2013;2:e23878.

    PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • Zemlyak A, Zakhaleva J, Pearl M, et al. Expression of inflammatory cytokines by adipose tissue from patients with endometrial cancer. Eur J Gynaecol Oncol. 2012;33:363–6.

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Zhang LH, Zhang X. Roles of GRP78 in physiology and cancer. J Cell Biochem. 2010;110:1299–305.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Zhang F, Basinski MB, Beals JM, et al. Crystal structure of the obese protein leptin-E100. Nature. 1997;387:206–9.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Zhang J, Jiang Y, Jia Z, et al. Association of elevated GRP78 expression with increased lymph node metastasis and poor prognosis in patients with gastric cancer. Clin Exp Metastasis. 2006;23:401–10.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Zhang Y, Daquinag A, Traktuev DO, et al. White adipose tissue cells are recruited by experimental tumors and promote cancer progression in mouse models. Cancer Res. 2009;69:5259–66.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Yvonne G. Lin .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 2015 Springer Science+Business Media Dordrecht

About this entry

Cite this entry

Han, L.Y., Lin, Y.G. (2015). Use of Visceral Adipocyte Biomarkers in Endometrial Cancer. In: Preedy, V., Patel, V. (eds) Biomarkers in Cancer. Biomarkers in Disease: Methods, Discoveries and Applications. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-007-7681-4_28

Download citation

Publish with us

Policies and ethics