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BMC Medical Genetics
Published in: BMC Medical Genetics 1/2017

Open Access 01-12-2017 | Review

Breast cancer protection by genomic imprinting in close kin families

Authors: Srdjan Denic, Mukesh M. Agarwal

Published in: BMC Medical Genetics | Issue 1/2017

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Abstract

Human inbreeding generally reduces breast cancer risk (BCR). When the parents are biologically related, their infants have a lower birth weight due to smaller body organs. The undersized breasts, because of fewer mammary stem cells, have a lower likelihood of malignant conversion. Fetal growth is regulated by genomically imprinted genes which are in conflict; they promote growth when derived from the father and suppress growth when derived from the mother. The kinship theory explicates that the intensity of conflict between these genes affects growth and therefore the size of the newborn. In descendants of closely related parents, this gene clash is less resulting in a smaller infant. In this review, we elucidate the different mechanisms by which human inbreeding affects BCR, and why this risk is dissimilar in different inbred populations.
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Metadata
Title
Breast cancer protection by genomic imprinting in close kin families
Authors
Srdjan Denic
Mukesh M. Agarwal
Publication date
01-12-2017
Publisher
BioMed Central
Published in
BMC Medical Genetics / Issue 1/2017
Electronic ISSN: 1471-2350
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1186/s12881-017-0498-0

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