Tehran University Medical Journal

Background: Cancer and obesity are two major public health concerns. More than 12 million cases of cancer are reported annually. Many reports confirmed obesity as a risk factor for cancer. The molecular relationship between obesity and breast cancer has not been clear yet. The purpose of this study was to investigate priorities of effective genes in the molecular relationship between obesity and breast cancer. Methods: In this study, computer simulation method was used for prioritizing the genes that involved in the molecular links between obesity and breast cancer in laboratory of systems biology and bioinformatics (LBB), Tehran University, Tehran, Iran, from March to July 2014. In this study, ENDEAVOUR software was used for prioritizing the genes and integrating multiple data sources was used for data analysis. Training genes were selected from effective genes in obesity and/or breast cancer. Two groups of candidate genes were selected. The first group was included the existential genes in 5 common region chromosomes (between obesity and breast cancer) and the second group was included the results of genes microarray data analysis of research Creighton, et al (In 2012 on patients with breast cancer). The microarray data were analyzed with GER2 software (R online software on GEO website). Finally, both training and candidate genes were entered in ENDEAVOUR software package. Results: The candidate genes were prioritized to four style and five genes in ten of the first priorities were repeated twice. In other word, the outcome of prioritizing of 72 genes (Product of microarray data analysis) and genes of 5 common chromosome regions (Between obesity and breast cancer) showed, 5 genes (TNFRSF10B, F2, IGFALS, NTRK3 and HSP90B1) were the priorities in the molecular connection between obesity and breast cancer. Conclusion: There are some common genes between breast cancer and obesity. So, molecular relationship is confirmed. In this study the possible effect of gene F2 polymorphism in making breast cancer associated with obesity risk factor was confirmed, the fact that past studies have not been reported.