Upregulation of RHOXF2 and ODF4 Expression in Breast Cancer Tissues.

Abstract

OBJECTIVE:

During the past decade, the importance of biomarker discovery has been highlighted in many aspects of cancer research. Biomarkers may have a role in early detection of cancer, prognosis and survival evaluation as well as drug response. Cancer-testis antigens (CTAs) have gained attention as cancer biomarkers because of their expression in a wide variety of tumors and restricted expression in testis. The aim of this study was to find putative biomarkers for breast cancer.

MATERIALS AND METHODS:

In this applied-descriptive study, the expression of 4 CTAs, namely acrosin binding protein (ACRBP), outer dense fiber 4 (ODF4), Rhox homeobox family member 2 (RHOXF2) and spermatogenesis associated 19 (SPATA19) were ana- lyzed at the transcript level in two breast cancer lines (MCF-7 and MDA-MB-231), 40 invasive ductal carcinoma samples and their adjacent normal tissues as well as 10 fibroadenoma samples by means of quantitative real-time reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR).

RESULTS:

All four genes were expressed in both cell lines. Expression of ODF4 and RH- OXF2 was detected in 62.5% and 60% of breast cancer tissues but in 22.5 and 17.5% of normal tissues examined respectively. The expression of both RHOXF2 and ODF4 was upregulated in cancerous tissues compared with their normal adjacent tissues by 3.31 and 2.96-fold respectively. The expression of both genes was correlated with HER2/neu overexpression. RHOXF2 expression but not ODF4 was correlated with higher stages of tumors. However, no significant association was seen between expression patterns and estrogen and progesterone receptors status.

CONCLUSION:

ODF4 and RHOXF2 are proposed as putative breast cancer biomarkers at the transcript level. However, their expression at protein level should be evaluated in future studies.

• Authors: Golnesa Kazemi-Oula, Soudeh Ghafouri-Fard, Maryam Beigom Mobasheri, Lobat Geranpayeh, Mohammad Hossein Modarressi
• Journal: Cell journal (Cell J) Vol. 17 Issue 3 Pg. 471-7 ( 2015) ISSN: 2228-5806 [Print] Iran
• PMID: 26464818 (Publication Type: Journal Article)