Gene expression of ceramide kinase, galactosyl ceramide synthase and ganglioside GD3 synthase is associated with prognosis in breast cancer.

Abstract

PURPOSE:

Sphingolipids are bioactive lipids implicated in apoptosis, cell survival and proliferation. We analyzed the prognostic value of enzymes from sphingolipid metabolism in breast cancer.

METHODS:

Differences in expression of ceramide galactosyl transferase (UGT8), ceramide kinase (CERK), and Ganglioside GD3-Synthase (ST8SIA1) in breast cancer cells were investigated by using microarray data of 1,581 tumor samples.

RESULTS:

UGT8, CERK, and ST8SIA1 were associated with poor pathohistological grading (P < 0.001). High CERK expression was correlated with ErbB2 status (P = 0.006). Among ER positive breast cancers a significant worse prognosis for patients with tumors showing low ST8SIA1 and UGT8 expression was observed. In the ER negative subgroup those samples with high CERK expression displayed a worse prognosis. In a multivariate analysis only ST8SIA1 and tumor size remained significant.

CONCLUSIONS:

Our experiments reveal that expression of enzymes from the sphingolipid metabolism has prognostic implications in breast cancer.

• Authors: Eugen Ruckhäberle, Thomas Karn, Achim Rody, Lars Hanker, Regine Gätje, Dirk Metzler, Uwe Holtrich, Manfred Kaufmann
• Journal: Journal of cancer research and clinical oncology (J Cancer Res Clin Oncol) Vol. 135 Issue 8 Pg. 1005-13 (Aug 2009) ISSN: 1432-1335 [Electronic] Germany
• PMID: 19125296 (Publication Type: Journal Article, Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't)

Chemical References

• UGT8 protein, human
• Ganglioside Galactosyltransferase
• Sialyltransferases
• alpha-N-acetylneuraminate alpha-2,8-sialyltransferase
• Phosphotransferases (Alcohol Group Acceptor)
• ceramide kinase
• Receptor, ErbB-2

Topics

• Adult
• Breast Neoplasms (diagnosis, enzymology, genetics)
• Disease-Free Survival
• Female
• Ganglioside Galactosyltransferase (genetics, metabolism)
• Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic
• Humans
• Middle Aged
• Phosphotransferases (Alcohol Group Acceptor) (genetics, metabolism)
• Prognosis
• Receptor, ErbB-2 (genetics, metabolism)
• Sialyltransferases (genetics, metabolism)
• Tissue Array Analysis