title: Lipophilin B: A gene preferentially expressed in breast tissue and upregulated in breast cancer.
abstract: Lipophilin B (LPB), which is also known as BU101, is a secretoglobin which exists in vivo as a complex with the mammary-specific protein, mammaglobin A (MGA). The aim of our study was to investigate the expression of LPB in a panel of breast and nonbreast tissues and compare its expression with that of MGA. Using RT-PCR, LPB mRNA was detected in 16/25 (64%) of normal breast specimens, 23/30 (77%) of fibroadenomas, 102/156 (65%) of primary breast cancers and in 8/36 (22%) nonbreast tissues. Levels of expression of LPB mRNA were significantly higher in breast cancers compared to both normal breast tissues (p = 0.02) and nonbreast tissue (p < 0.001). In the primary breast cancers, expression of LPB mRNA was positively correlated with the estrogen receptor (p = 0.045) but inversely related to both tumor grade (p < 0.001) and proliferation rates (p = 0.0345). Compared to MGA, expression of LPB was more sensitive but less specific for breast cancer. Using Western blotting, LPB migrated with an approximate molecular mass of 7-8 kDa, the expected molecular mass of free LPB. Immunohistochemical analysis of breast cancers showed that LPB expression was predominantly confined to the cytoplasm of tumor cells. We conclude that expression of LPB is preferentially but not exclusively restricted to breast tissue. Since LPB was expressed relatively specifically in breast tissue and was significantly upregulated in breast carcinomas, it is a promising candidate biomarker for breast cancer.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, St. Vincent's University Hospital, Dublin, Ireland.
authors.forename: Jane
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Culleton
authors.forename: Neil
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: O'Brien
authors.forename: Bríd M
authors.initials: BM
authors.lastname: Ryan
authors.forename: Arnold D K
authors.initials: AD
authors.lastname: Hill
authors.forename: Enda
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: McDermott
authors.forename: Niall
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: O'Higgins
authors.forename: Michael J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Duffy
mesh_terms: D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000032:analysis / Q000235:genetics; D015153:Blotting, Western; D001940:Breast / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics* / Q000473:pathology; D002277:Carcinoma / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics* / Q000473:pathology; D005260:Female; D015972:Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D009185:Myelin Proteins / Q000032:analysis / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D011510:Proteolipids / Q000032:analysis / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000032:analysis / Q000378:metabolism; D011960:Receptors, Estrogen / Q000032:analysis / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D060765:Secretoglobins; D014407:Tumor Cells, Cultured; D015854:Up-Regulation; D014598:Uteroglobin / Q000032:analysis / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D009185:Myelin Proteins; D011510:Proteolipids; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D011960:Receptors, Estrogen; C556464:SCGB1D2 protein, human; D060765:Secretoglobins; D014598:Uteroglobin