Abstract
The human epidermal growth factor receptor-2 (HER2) gene plays a critical role in breast cancer development and progression. HER2 overexpression characterizes a biologically and clinically aggressive breast cancer subtype. In this study, 60 samples from Iraqi women with breast cancer were collected and investigated for HER2 protein in the tissue by immunohistochemistry. Also, 20 samples from healthy Iraqi women were used as a control. The results showed that 18 (30 %) patients expressed the HER2 protein. A molecular study for single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) was conducted on samples metastasizing to lymph nodes. DNA was extracted and polymerase chain reaction (PCR) was performed to amplify exon 17 and intron 17 of HER2 gene. Sequencing of PCR product was achieved and two SNPs of HER2 gene, one in exon 17 (Ile655Val) and another close to it in intron 17 (rs903506) were studied. In exon 17, SNP Ile655Val was found in 41% of patients, while in intron 17, the non-coding SNP rs903506 was found in 27% of patients. However, no polymorphism was found in the control group. The results may suggest that HER2 gene can be used as a molecular marker for breast cancer.
Highlights
Breast cancer is the most common type of female malignancy and the common cause of cancer-related deaths in women
It is a proto-oncogene that acts through an intrinsic tyrosine kinase activity encoding a transmembrane glycoprotein that belongs to the epidermal growth factor receptors family [5]
Immunohistochemistry study for women with breast cancer All the 60 samples of women with breast cancer were examined for expression of human epidermal growth factor receptor-2 (HER2) protein in (FFPE) tissues by using immunohistochemistry technique
Summary
Breast cancer is the most common type of female malignancy and the common cause of cancer-related deaths in women. It is still ranked as the top women killer [1, 2]. Accounting for approximately one-third of the registered female cancers, breast cancer has the first rank amongst other cancer types in incidence (23%) and death rate (14%) [3]. Among the population of Iraq, breast cancer is the main type of cancer, with a yearly incidence of 43% among all types of cancers [3, 4]. HER2 gene is located on chromosome 17q21. It is a proto-oncogene that acts through an intrinsic tyrosine kinase activity encoding a transmembrane glycoprotein that belongs to the epidermal growth factor receptors family [5]. The alteration is linked with an inferior general survival in patients with breast, endometrial, ovarian, gastric, and salivary gland carcinomas [810]
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