Abstract
BackgroundNeogenin is closely related to the human tumor suppressor gene deleted in colorectal cancer and plays a role in mammary morphogenesis. This study aimed to assess neogenin expression in breast cancer for any clinically significant association.MethodsA total of 54 breast cancer patients who underwent modified radical mastectomy were enrolled for immunohistochemical and quantitative real-time PCR analysis of neogenin expression in their cancerous breast tissues in comparison to matching distant non-cancerous tissues.ResultsThe data showed that the neogenin protein was either strongly or moderately expressed in the cytoplasm of the distant non-cancerous cells. In contrast, neogenin protein was either weakly or not expressed in the cytoplasm of 51/54 (94.4%) breast cancer cells, among which 13 breast cancer cases did not express neogenin protein at all (13/54, 24.1%). Similarly, levels of neogenin mRNA were significantly lower in breast cancer tissues than that of the matched distant non-cancerous tissues (51/54, 94.4%). Neogenin expression was inversely associated with breast cancer grade; that is, grade III breast cancer expressed much less neogenin than grade I-II (P < 0.05).ConclusionsThis study indicates that neogenin expression in breast cancer tissues is inversely associated with tumor grade.
Highlights
Neogenin is closely related to the human tumor suppressor gene deleted in colorectal cancer and plays a role in mammary morphogenesis
Our study focused on the protein neogenin, which is closely related to the human tumor suppressor gene deleted in colorectal cancer (DCC) [12] and which plays a role in mammary morphogenesis [13]
We assessed neogenin mRNA expression in these tissue samples and found that the level of neogenin mRNA was significantly lower in breast cancer tissues than in the matched distant non-cancerous tissues (51/ 54, 94.4%; Figure 1D)
Summary
Neogenin is closely related to the human tumor suppressor gene deleted in colorectal cancer and plays a role in mammary morphogenesis. This study aimed to assess neogenin expression in breast cancer for any clinically significant association. In China, breast cancer accounts for 14.2% of all malignant tumors in Chinese women, while the percentage is 26.4% in the USA [2]. Tumor stage, histological grade, and different tumor markers have been useful in evaluating and predicting breast cancer progression, treatment response, and prognosis [5]. Researchers have tried to classify breast cancer based on the profile of differential gene expression to advance individualized treatment, and to help predict prognosis of the patients [6].
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