Down regulation of ADAM33 as a Predictive Biomarker of Aggressive Breast Cancer

Sci Rep. 2017 Mar 15:7:44414. doi: 10.1038/srep44414.

Abstract

Breast cancer is a heterogeneous disease with differences in its clinical, molecular and biological features. Traditionally, immunohistochemical markers together with clinicopathologic parameters are used to classify breast cancer and to predict disease outcome. Triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) is a particular type of breast cancer that is defined by a lack of expression of hormonal receptors and the HER2 gene. Most cases of TNBC also have a basal-like phenotype (BLBC) with expression of cytokeratin 5/6 and/or EGFR. A basal marker alone is insufficient for a better understanding of the tumor biology of TNBC. In that regard, the ADAM33 gene is silenced by DNA hypermethylation in breast cancer, which suggests that ADAM33 might be useful as a molecular marker. In the present study, we have produced monoclonal antibodies against the ADAM33 protein and have investigated the role of ADAM33 protein in breast cancer. We used 212 breast tumor samples and lower levels of ADAM33 were correlated with TNBC and basal-like markers. A lower level of ADAM33 was also correlated with shorter overall survival and metastasis-free survival and was considered an independent prognostic factor suggesting that ADAM33 is a novel molecular biomarker of TNBC and BLBC that might be useful as a prognostic factor.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • ADAM Proteins / genetics*
  • Adult
  • Aged
  • Biomarkers, Tumor / genetics*
  • DNA Methylation / genetics
  • Disease-Free Survival
  • Female
  • Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic
  • Humans
  • Kaplan-Meier Estimate
  • MCF-7 Cells
  • Middle Aged
  • Prognosis*
  • Receptor, ErbB-2 / genetics
  • Receptors, Estrogen / genetics
  • Triple Negative Breast Neoplasms / epidemiology
  • Triple Negative Breast Neoplasms / genetics*
  • Triple Negative Breast Neoplasms / pathology

Substances

  • Biomarkers, Tumor
  • Receptors, Estrogen
  • Receptor, ErbB-2
  • ADAM Proteins
  • ADAM33 protein, human