title: (CA)n microsatellite polymorphism of ERBB-1 in breast cancer.
abstract: The aim of this study was to determine polymorphism of repeated sequences (CA)(n) in the ERBB-1 gene. The study group included 197 breast cancer patients and 180 healthy women. DNA was isolated from fresh-frozen tumour tissue and from peripheral blood. ERBB-1 (CA)(n) microsatellite polymorphism was examined by polymerase chain reaction (PCR). A polymorphic simple sequence repeat region of 9-23 CA repeats was detected in both groups. Homozygotes comprised 22% and 34% of breast cancer patients and controls, respectively (P=0.009). An allelic imbalance (AI), mostly in the shorter allele, was found in 27% of breast cancer patients. AI occurrence was associated with the lack of oestrogen receptors in tumour cells (P=0.05); otherwise, there were no correlations between histoclinical features and (CA)(n) microsatellite polymorphism of ERBB-1. It was concluded that an allelic imbalance is a common feature in breast cancer patients and may coincide with the lack of oestrogen receptors in tumour cells. The clinical relevance of ERBB-1 microsatellite polymorphism in breast cancer remains to be established.
authors.affiliation: Department of Oncology and Radiotherapy, Medical University of Gdańsk, ul. Debinki 7, 80-211 Gdańsk, Poland. mwelj@amg.gda.pl
authors.forename: Marzena
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Wełnicka-Jaśkiewicz
authors.forename: Anna
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Zaczek
authors.forename: Burkhard
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Brandt
authors.forename: Krzysztof Piotr
authors.initials: KP
authors.lastname: Bielawski
authors.forename: Janusz
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Jaśkiewicz
authors.forename: Krzysztof
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Konopa
authors.forename: Jacek
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Jassem
mesh_terms: D022981:Allelic Imbalance / Q000235:genetics; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000235:genetics*; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D004273:DNA, Neoplasm / Q000235:genetics; D005260:Female; D018773:Genes, erbB-1 / Q000235:genetics*; D006801:Humans; D018895:Microsatellite Repeats / Q000235:genetics*; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction / Q000379:methods; D011110:Polymorphism, Genetic / Q000235:genetics*
chemical_list: D004273:DNA, Neoplasm