Expression of fibroblast growth factor 1 is lower in breast cancer than in the normal human breast.
We have measured the amount of fibroblast growth factor 1 (FGF-1) mRNA and protein in primary breast cancers and non-malignant breast tissue and have found greatly reduced levels in breast cancer compared with non-malignant tissue. A total of 116 breast cancers and 37 biopsies taken from non-malignant breast were compared for FGF-1 mRNA expression using reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) and significantly lower levels were found in the cancer tissues (P < 0.001). These findings were confirmed at the protein level where four out of five breast cancers contained no detectable FGF-1 and a fifth cancer had a low level of FGF-1 compared with three samples from reduction mammoplasties. Similar results were obtained from breast cell lines in which 80% of cancer cell lines had very low levels of FGF-1, whereas all non-malignant breast cell lines contained higher levels of FGF-1. Immunohistochemical analysis indicated that FGF-1 was present in the luminal epithelial cells of the non-malignant breast but was absent from cancer cells. The decreased levels of FGF-1 in breast cancer may indicate that stimulation of cancer cells is resulting in down-regulation of FGF-1 expression or may implicate FGF-1 as a differentiation factor rather than a growth factor at its physiological concentration in the breast.
Department of Medical Oncology, Charing Cross Hospital, London, UK.
G S
GS
Bansal
C
C
Yiangou
R C
RC
Coope
J J
JJ
Gomm
Y A
YA
Luqmani
R C
RC
Coombes
C L
CL
Johnston
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001483:Base Sequence; D015153:Blotting, Western; D001940:Breast / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism*; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism*; D002460:Cell Line; D005260:Female; D016220:Fibroblast Growth Factor 1 / Q000032:analysis / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D008875:Middle Aged; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D009363:Neoplasm Proteins / Q000032:analysis / Q000096:biosynthesis; D014176:Protein Biosynthesis; D011506:Proteins / Q000032:analysis; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000032:analysis / Q000378:metabolism; D017468:Receptors, Fibroblast Growth Factor / Q000235:genetics; D012016:Reference Values; D014407:Tumor Cells, Cultured
D009363:Neoplasm Proteins; D011506:Proteins; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D017468:Receptors, Fibroblast Growth Factor; D016220:Fibroblast Growth Factor 1