Abstract
BackgroundST2, a member of the interleukin (IL)-1receptor family, regulates Th1/Th2 immune responses in autoimmune and inflammatory conditions. However, the role of ST2 signaling in tumor growth and metastasis of breast cancers has not been investigated. This study investigated the possible role of soluble ST2 (sST2) in breast cancer.MethodsThe serum levels of IL-33, sST2, and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) in 150 breast cancer patients and 90 healthy women were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Estrogen receptor(ER), progesterone receptor, human epithelial receptor (HER)-2, and cell cycle regulated protein Ki-67 were measured. Clinical stage, tumor size, lymph node metastasis, and histological type were also recorded.ResultsThe serum levels of sST2, IL-33, and VEGF were significantly higher in breast cancer patients than in the control group (P < 0.05, each). Serum sST2 levels in ER-positive breast cancer patients were significantly associated with age, histological type, clinical stage, tumor size, and Ki-67 status (P < 0.05, each). Moreover, the serum levels of IL-33 and sST2 in breast cancers significantly correlated with VEGF levels (IL-33: r = 0.375, P < 0.0001; sST2: r = 0.164, P = 0.045). Serum levels of sST2, IL-33, and VEGF decreased after modified radical mastectomy in ER-positive breast cancers. Serum levels of IL-33, sST2, and VEGF and clinicopathological factors were not significantly correlated with disease-free survival and overall survival of ER-positive breast cancer women during follow-up.ConclusionSerum sST2 levels in ER-positive breast cancer patients are significantly associated with factors that indicate poor prognosis.
Highlights
ST2, a member of the interleukin (IL)-1receptor family, regulates Th1/Th2 immune responses in autoimmune and inflammatory conditions
The serum levels of IL-33 and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) in all breast cancer patients taken together, estrogen receptor (ER)-positive breast cancer patients, and ER-negative breast cancer patients were significantly higher than those of the control group (IL-33: 105.5 ± 16.0 pg/mL, 162.0 ± 39.2 pg/mL, 306.0 ± 140.8 pg/mL compared with 30.7 ± 3.3 pg/mL P < 0.05,each; Figure 1B; VEGF: 257.6 ± 14.6 pg/mL, 248.5 ± 16.5 pg/mL, 263.1 ± 29.8 pg/mL compared with 93.0 ± 8.6 pg/mL P < 0.05,each; Figure 1C)
In the present study, we investigated whether serum IL-33 or soluble ST2 (sST2) correlated with VEGF levels or clinicopathological features in breast cancer tissues
Summary
ST2, a member of the interleukin (IL)-1receptor family, regulates Th1/Th2 immune responses in autoimmune and inflammatory conditions. The role of ST2 signaling in tumor growth and metastasis of breast cancers has not been investigated. This study investigated the possible role of soluble ST2 (sST2) in breast cancer. Early diagnosis and effective therapies for breast cancer are imperative. Differential biomarkers are an effective diagnostic method for screening and targeting breast cancer. A limited number of biomarkers for breast cancer have been validated for clinical application [2]. ST2 is a member of the interleukin 1 receptor (IL-1R) family that was originally identified in oncogene or serum-stimulated fibroblasts [3]. The role of ST2 in tumor growth and metastasis in breast cancer patients has not been explored
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