Expression of cyclin-dependent kinases and CDC25a phosphatase is related with recurrences and survival in women with peri- and post-menopausal breast cancer.
Progression through the mammalian cell cycle is regulated by cyclin-cyclin-dependent kinase (CDKs) complexes that are activated throughout the cell cycle. Alteration in cell cycle control could lead to proliferation and tumourogenesis. This study was designed to analyse, at messenger RNA (mRNA) level, cyclins and CDKs involved in the retinoblastoma pathway, as well as cell division cycle 25a phosphatase (CDC25a), which activates some of the CDKs that were analysed. The aim of the study was to determine the possible prognostic relevance of these molecules in 73 women with peri- and post-menopausal breast cancer. Cyclins A, D1 and E; CDKs 2, 4 and 6 and phosphatase CDC25a expression status were analysed in primary tumours at mRNA level, by reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction analysis in paraffin-embedded primary breast cancers. High expression levels of CDK2, CDK4 and CDC25a were related to tumour recurrence. Over-expression of CDK2 and CDC25a was also associated with reduced overall survival; moreover, the CDK2 expression level was able to define a short-living cohort of patients with tumour-positive lymph nodes. CDK2, CDK4 and CDC25a can be used as reliable biomarkers to predict prognosis in women with peri- and post-menopausal breast cancer.
Bonin
Serena
S
Department of Clinical, Morphological and Technological Sciences, University of Trieste, Trieste, and Surgical Pathology Unit, S. Andrea Hospital, La Spezia, Italy.
Brunetti
Davide
D
Benedetti
Elena
E
Gorji
Nader
N
Stanta
Giorgio
G
D000368:Aged; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000032:analysis*; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology*; D018844:Cyclin-Dependent Kinases / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D017931:DNA Primers; D005260:Female; D015870:Gene Expression; D006801:Humans; D008207:Lymphatic Metastasis / Q000473:pathology; D008875:Middle Aged; D009364:Neoplasm Recurrence, Local / Q000473:pathology*; D047648:Perimenopause; D017698:Postmenopause; D016019:Survival Analysis; D020687:cdc25 Phosphatases / Q000096:biosynthesis*
D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D017931:DNA Primers; D018844:Cyclin-Dependent Kinases; C517004:CDC25A protein, human; D020687:cdc25 Phosphatases