Open AccessExpression level of beta protein 1 mRNA in Chinese breast cancer patients: A potential molecular marker for poor prognosis
Author(s) -
Yu Man,
Yang Yi,
Shi Yurong,
Wang Defa,
Wei Xiyin,
Zhang Ning,
Niu Ruifang
Publication year - 2008
Publication title -
cancer science
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.035
H-Index - 141
eISSN - 1349-7006
pISSN - 1347-9032
DOI - 10.1111/j.1349-7006.2007.00661.x
Subject(s) - breast cancer , estrogen receptor , oncology , medicine , cancer , cancer research , progesterone receptor , estrogen , clinical significance
Recent studies revealed high ectopic beta protein 1 (BP1) expression in breast cancer. Remarkably, up to 100% (18/18) of estrogen receptor (ER)‐negative tumors and 89% (25/28) of tumors from African American women were BP1‐positive. However, the role of BP1 in breast cancer development and its clinical significance still has not been well defined. In the present study, we analyzed the quantitative level of BP1 mRNA in breast carcinomas using real‐time polymerase chain reaction and aimed to elucidate its association with tumor characteristics and patient prognosis. Our data showed that BP1 mRNA was expressed at significantly higher levels in tumors with lymph node metastasis, with a high histological grade, and in those that were of ER‐negative status. Furthermore, overexpression of BP1 was significantly associated with poor outcome of patients harboring tumors with a high histological grade and negative ER. Using both in vitro and in vivo systems, we also showed that the transcript level of BP1 was positively correlated to the growth rate of breast tumor cells. Taken together, our results support the notion that BP1 might contribute to breast neoplastic transformation or tumor progression and suggest for the first time that BP1 mRNA level has potential as a prognostic predictor for breast cancer. ( Cancer Sci 2008; 99: 173–178)