Enhanced expression of the UROC28 gene in human breast cancer: relationship to ERBB2 gene expression.
BACKGROUND
ERBB2, a highly important oncogene in invasive breast cancer, is not only a prognostic factor but also a predictive marker for response to therapeutic agents. Recently, An et al. (10) identified a novel gene, UROC28, that is also overexpressed in breast cancer. To examine possible interrelationships, we quantitated UROC28 and ERBB2 mRNA in breast cancers.


METHODS
The expression of UROC28 and ERBB2 mRNA in breast cancer tissues were determined using RT-PCR. The expression was also examined in T-47D breast cancer cells treated with estrogen.


RESULTS
UROC28 mRNA expression was greater in cancers than in noncancerous tissues (p < 0.0001), as was ERBB2 mRNA. ERBB2 and UROC28 gene expression was dose-dependently down-regulated in T-47D breast cancer cells treated with estradiol. However UROC28 mRNA and ERBB2 mRNA expression did not correlate with one another.


CONCLUSIONS
These results indicate that UROC28 may be a useful target molecule in breast cancer diagnosis and treatment, complementing ERBB2.
Kamagata
Chinatsu
C
Department of Laboratory Diagnosis and Clinical Laboratory Medicine, Sapporo Medical University School of Medicine, South-1, West-16, Chuo-ku, Sapporo, 060-8543, Japan.
Tsuji
Naoki
N
Kondoh
Kei
K
Sasaki
Masateru
M
Kobayashi
Daisuke
D
Yagihashi
Atsuhito
A
Watanabe
Naoki
N
D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D015536:Down-Regulation / Q000187:drug effects; D004958:Estradiol / Q000494:pharmacology; D005260:Female; D015972:Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic / Q000187:drug effects; D018734:Genes, erbB-2 / Q000235:genetics*; D006801:Humans; D009363:Neoplasm Proteins / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics*; D018719:Erb-b2 Receptor Tyrosine Kinases / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics; D014407:Tumor Cells, Cultured
D004958:Estradiol; D009363:Neoplasm Proteins; D018719:Erb-b2 Receptor Tyrosine Kinases; C420220:PBOV1 protein, human