Prognostic relevance of AGR2 expression in breast cancer.
OBJECTIVE
We aimed to evaluate the expression of the human anterior gradient-2 (AGR2) in breast cancer on RNA and protein level and to correlate it with clinicopathologic data, including patient survival.


METHODS
AGR2 mRNA expression was assessed by reverse transcription-PCR in 25 breast cancer samples and normal tissues. A polyclonal rabbit AGR antiserum was used for immunohistochemistry on 155 clinicopathologically characterized cases. Statistical analyses were applied to test for prognostic and diagnostic associations.


RESULTS
Immunohistochemical detection of AGR2 was statistically significantly associated with positive estrogen receptor status and lower tumor grade. AGR2-positive tumors showed significantly longer overall survival times in univariate analyses. For the subgroup of nodal-negative tumors, an independent prognostic value of AGR2 was found.


CONCLUSIONS
The expression of AGR2 in breast cancer is strongly associated with markers of tumor differentiation (estrogen receptor positivity, lower tumor grade). A prognostic effect of AGR2 for overall survival could be shown, which became independently significant for the group of nodal-negative tumors.
Institute of Pathology and Breast Centre, Charité, Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Berlin, Germany.
Florian Rudolf
FR
Fritzsche
Edgar
E
Dahl
Stefan
S
Pahl
Mick
M
Burkhardt
Jun
J
Luo
Empar
E
Mayordomo
Tserenchunt
T
Gansukh
Anja
A
Dankof
Ruth
R
Knuechel
Carsten
C
Denkert
Klaus-Jürgen
KJ
Winzer
Manfred
M
Dietel
Glen
G
Kristiansen
D001940:Breast / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology*; D002285:Carcinoma, Intraductal, Noninfiltrating / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D005260:Female; D015972:Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D008875:Middle Aged; D009088:Mucoproteins; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D009361:Neoplasm Invasiveness; D015513:Oncogene Proteins; D011379:Prognosis; D011506:Proteins / Q000032:analysis / Q000235:genetics*; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D018719:Erb-b2 Receptor Tyrosine Kinases / Q000032:analysis; D011960:Receptors, Estrogen / Q000032:analysis; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction; D016019:Survival Analysis
D009088:Mucoproteins; D015513:Oncogene Proteins; D011506:Proteins; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D018719:Erb-b2 Receptor Tyrosine Kinases; D011960:Receptors, Estrogen; C502296:AGR2 protein, human