title: Mammaglobin as a novel breast cancer biomarker: multigene reverse transcription-PCR assay and sandwich ELISA.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The aim of this study was to examine the potential usefulness of a mammaglobin multigene reverse transcription-PCR (RT-PCR) assay and a mammaglobin sandwich ELISA as diagnostic tools in breast cancer.
  
  
  METHODS
  We studied peripheral blood samples from 147 untreated Senegalese women with biopsy-confirmed breast cancer and gathered patient information regarding demographic, and clinical staging of disease. The samples were tested for mammaglobin and three breast cancer-associated gene transcripts by a multigene real-time RT-PCR assay and for serum mammaglobin protein by a sandwich ELISA assay.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In 77% of the breast cancer blood samples, a positive signal was obtained in the multigene RT-PCR assay detecting mammaglobin and three complementary transcribed genes. Fifty samples from healthy female donors tested negative. Significant correlations were found between mammaglobin protein in serum, presence of mammaglobin mRNA-expressing cells in blood, stage of disease, and tumor size. Circulating mammaglobin protein was detected in 68% of the breast cancer sera, and was increased in 38% in comparison with a mixed control population. The RT-PCR assay and the ELISA for mammaglobin produced a combined sensitivity of 84% and specificity of 97%.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The ELISA and RT-PCR for mammaglobin and mammaglobin-producing cells could be valuable tools for diagnosis and prognosis of breast cancer.
authors.affiliation: Corixa Corporation, Seattle, WA 98101, USA.
authors.forename: Barbara K
authors.initials: BK
authors.lastname: Zehentner
authors.forename: David H
authors.initials: DH
authors.lastname: Persing
authors.forename: Amadou
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Deme
authors.forename: Papa
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Toure
authors.forename: Stephen E
authors.initials: SE
authors.lastname: Hawes
authors.forename: Lisa
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Brooks
authors.forename: Qinghua
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Feng
authors.forename: Dawn C
authors.initials: DC
authors.lastname: Hayes
authors.forename: Cathy W
authors.initials: CW
authors.lastname: Critichlow
authors.forename: Raymond L
authors.initials: RL
authors.lastname: Houghton
authors.forename: Nancy B
authors.initials: NB
authors.lastname: Kiviat
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000032:analysis* / Q000097:blood / Q000235:genetics; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000473:pathology; D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay / Q000379:methods; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D060785:Mammaglobin A; D008875:Middle Aged; D009363:Neoplasm Proteins / Q000032:analysis* / Q000097:blood / Q000235:genetics; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D012016:Reference Values; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction / Q000379:methods; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D014598:Uteroglobin / Q000032:analysis* / Q000097:blood / Q000235:genetics
chemical_list: D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D060785:Mammaglobin A; D009363:Neoplasm Proteins; C556448:SCGB2A2 protein, human; D014598:Uteroglobin