BigH3 protein expression as a marker for breast cancer

  • Authors:
    • Gloria m. Calaf
    • C. Echiburú-Chau
    • Y. l. Zhao
    • Tom k Hei
  • View Affiliations

  • Published online on: May 1, 2008     https://doi.org/10.3892/ijmm.21.5.561
  • Pages: 561-568
Metrics: Total Views: 0 (Spandidos Publications: | PMC Statistics: )
Total PDF Downloads: 0 (Spandidos Publications: | PMC Statistics: )


Abstract

The current hypothesis of tumorigenesis in humans suggests that cancer cells acquire their hallmarks of malignancy through the accumulation of advantageous gene activation and inactivation events over long periods of time. For breast cancer development, this multistep process may manifest itself as a sequence of pathologically defined stages. It is widely held that breast cancer originates at the premalignant stage of atypical ductal hyperplasia, progresses to the preinvasive stage of ductal carcinoma in situ, and culminates in the potentially lethal stage of invasive ductal carcinoma. Tumor grade has been a highly valuable prognostic factor for breast cancer, and high-grade ductal carcinoma in situ lesions are associated with poor clinical outcome. The aim of this work was to investigate the BigH3 protein expression changes associated with various stages of breast cancer progression in comparison to benign specimens using tissue microarray technology. Pathological characteristics of breast tissues ranged from benign lesions to breast cancers either of lobular or ductal carcinomas in origin, and included in situ ductal carcinomas, lobular carcinomas, infiltrating ductal carcinomas, carcinomas, scirrhous carcinomas, adenocarcinomas and infiltrating colloid carcinomas. BigH3 protein expression was analyzed by immunohistochemistry in 192 cases of breast tumors. Results indicated a decrease in BigH3 protein expression from benign tissues to in situ ductal carcinoma, lobular carcinoma, infiltrating ductal carcinomas, carcinomas, scirrhous carcinoma, adenocarcinomas to infiltrating colloid carcinomas. We observed that the benign tissue had a 23-fold increase in BigH3 protein expression compared to the infiltrating colloid carcinoma which was the most malignant tissue analyzed. In summary, these studies confirmed the suppressor effect of the BigH3 gene expressed as protein expression in those processes related to the progression of breast tumorigenesis. We conclude that this protein can be used as a marker for breast cancer progression.

Related Articles

Journal Cover

May 2008
Volume 21 Issue 5

Print ISSN: 1107-3756
Online ISSN:1791-244X

Sign up for eToc alerts

Recommend to Library

Copy and paste a formatted citation
x
Spandidos Publications style
Calaf Gm, Echiburú-Chau C, Zhao Yl and Hei Tk: BigH3 protein expression as a marker for breast cancer. Int J Mol Med 21: 561-568, 2008
APA
Calaf, G.m., Echiburú-Chau, C., Zhao, Y.l., & Hei, T.k. (2008). BigH3 protein expression as a marker for breast cancer. International Journal of Molecular Medicine, 21, 561-568. https://doi.org/10.3892/ijmm.21.5.561
MLA
Calaf, G. m., Echiburú-Chau, C., Zhao, Y. l., Hei, T. k."BigH3 protein expression as a marker for breast cancer". International Journal of Molecular Medicine 21.5 (2008): 561-568.
Chicago
Calaf, G. m., Echiburú-Chau, C., Zhao, Y. l., Hei, T. k."BigH3 protein expression as a marker for breast cancer". International Journal of Molecular Medicine 21, no. 5 (2008): 561-568. https://doi.org/10.3892/ijmm.21.5.561