title: Lack of Fas (APO-1/CD95) gene structural alterations or transcript variant ratio changes in breast cancer.
abstract: Fas (APO-1/CD95) is a transmembrane receptor protein involved in cell death signaling. Fas receptor and ligand are both expressed in breast cancer cells, however these cells are resistant to apoptosis. Fas gene mutations were detected in hematological and solid tumors, while overexpression of a soluble Fas isoform in serum was related to cancer stage and prognosis. In this work, direct sequencing of exons 6 and 9 of the Fas gene from 90 patients did not reveal any structural alterations. Moreover, no decrease was found in the ratio of the corresponding mRNA species of transmembrane versus soluble Fas isoforms in 31 breast cancer samples compared to 14 controls. Therefore, inhibition of Fas-mediated apoptosis may not be due to structural alterations in the critical exons 6 and 9 of the Fas gene or a shift of expression towards the soluble Fas isoform, but to other mechanisms operating in breast cancer cells.
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Environmental Mutagenesis and Carcinogenesis, Institute of Biology, NCSR "Demokritos", GR-15310 Athens, Greece.
authors.forename: Liliana
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Puiu
authors.forename: Eftichia
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Petrakou
authors.forename: Anastasia
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Apostolidou
authors.forename: Aglaia
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Athanassiadou
authors.forename: Lambrini
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Psiouri
authors.forename: Adamantia
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Papachatzopoulou
authors.forename: Vassilis G
authors.initials: VG
authors.lastname: Gorgoulis
authors.forename: Athanassios
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Kotsinas
authors.forename: Evangelos
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Tzoracoeleftherakis
authors.forename: George M
authors.initials: GM
authors.lastname: Maniatis
authors.forename: Gerassimos
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Voutsinas
mesh_terms: D017209:Apoptosis; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism*; D002462:Cell Membrane / Q000378:metabolism; D005091:Exons; D006801:Humans; D009154:Mutation; D018807:Polymorphism, Single-Stranded Conformational; D020033:Protein Isoforms; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000378:metabolism*; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction; D017422:Sequence Analysis, DNA; D019014:fas Receptor / Q000235:genetics* / Q000502:physiology*
chemical_list: D020033:Protein Isoforms; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D019014:fas Receptor