Mammaglobin B expression in human endometrial cancer.

Abstract

Mammaglobin B (MGB-2) is an uteroglobin gene family member recently found highly differentially expressed in ovarian cancer by gene expression profiling. To evaluate its potential as a novel endometrial cancer biomarker, in this study we quantified and compared MGB-2 expression at messenger RNA and protein levels in endometrial tumors (endometrioid endometrial cancer [EEC]) with different grades of differentiation. MGB-2 expression was evaluated by real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and immunohistochemistry (IHC) in fresh frozen biopsies and paraffin-embedded tissues derived from a total of 70 patients including 50 primary EEC and 20 normal endometria (NECs). High levels of MGB-2 gene expression were detected in 10 of 11 EEC G1 cases (91%), 16 of 17 EEC G2 cases (94%), and 6 of 22 EEC G3 cases (27%) by real-time PCR. In contrast, normal endometrial cells expressed low to negligible levels of MGB-2 by real-time PCR (P = 0.002 EEC vs NEC). Well- and moderately differentiated EECs overexpressed MGB-2 gene at significant higher levels when compared to NECs (P < 0.01). Pairwise differences between both G2 and G1 vs G3 cases for MGB-2 relative gene expression values were also statistically significant (G2 vs G3 P < 0.001, G1 vs G3 P = 0.016). MGB-2 protein expression was detected in 31 (86%) of 36 EEC and 0 of 5 atrophic NEC controls, while seven of eight (88%) of the proliferative/secretory/hyperplastic NECs focally expressed MGB-2 by IHC. MGB-2 is highly expressed in EEC, particularly in well- and moderately differentiated tumors, and may represent a novel molecular marker for EEC.

• Authors: R A Tassi, E Bignotti, M Falchetti, S Calza, A Ravaggi, E Rossi, F Martinelli, E Bandiera, S Pecorelli, A D Santin
• Journal: International journal of gynecological cancer : official journal of the International Gynecological Cancer Society (Int J Gynecol Cancer) 2008 Sep-Oct Vol. 18 Issue 5 Pg. 1090-6 ISSN: 1525-1438 [Electronic] England
• PMID: 18021217 (Publication Type: Journal Article)

Chemical References

• Mammaglobin B
• Myelin Proteins
• Proteolipids
• SCGB2A1 protein, human
• Secretoglobins
• Uteroglobin

Topics

• Adult
• Aged
• Aged, 80 and over
• Endometrial Neoplasms (genetics, metabolism, pathology)
• Female
• Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic
• Health
• Humans
• Immunohistochemistry
• Mammaglobin B
• Middle Aged
• Myelin Proteins (genetics, metabolism)
• Neoplasm Staging
• Proteolipids (genetics, metabolism)
• Secretoglobins
• Uteroglobin (genetics, metabolism)