title: EMP3 overexpression in primary breast carcinomas is not associated with epigenetic aberrations.
abstract: Epithelial membrane protein 3 (EMP3) is a trans-membrane signaling molecule with important roles in the regulation of apoptosis, differentiation and invasion of cancer cells, but the detailed is largely still unknown. We analyzed the mRNA levels and methylation statuses of EMP3 in 63 primary breast carcinomas and assessed their correlations with clinicopathologic variables. The expression of EMP3 mRNA in primary breast carcinomas was significantly higher than the expression of 20 normal breast tissues (p<10(-7)). EMP3 overexpression in breast carcinomas was significantly related to histological grade III (p=3.9 x 10(-7)), lymph node metastasis (p=0.003), and strong Her-2 expression (p=3.3 x 10(-6)). Hypermethylation frequencies of EMP3 were detected in 36.5% of breast carcinomas by methylation-specific polymerase chain reaction. However, no significant correlations were found between methylation status of EMP3 and mRNA expression levels as well as other clinical parameters. In conclusion, EMP3 may be a novel marker of tumor aggressiveness. Overexpression of EMP3 in primary breast carcinoma is not associated with DNA methylation.
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiation Oncology, Shandong Tumor Hospital, Shandong University, Shandong, China.
authors.forename: Wei
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Zhou
authors.forename: Zheng
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Jiang
authors.forename: Xingang
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Fenghua
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Xu
authors.forename: Yanbing
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Peie
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Wen
authors.forename: Li
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Kong
authors.forename: Ming
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Hou
authors.forename: Jinming
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Yu
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000235:genetics* / Q000473:pathology; D002277:Carcinoma / Q000235:genetics* / Q000473:pathology; D019175:DNA Methylation; D044127:Epigenesis, Genetic; D005260:Female; D015972:Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic; D006801:Humans; D008207:Lymphatic Metastasis; D008562:Membrane Glycoproteins / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D008875:Middle Aged; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000378:metabolism; D018719:Erb-b2 Receptor Tyrosine Kinases / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D012720:Severity of Illness Index
chemical_list: D008562:Membrane Glycoproteins; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D018719:Erb-b2 Receptor Tyrosine Kinases; C485157:EMP3 protein, human; C508053:ERBB2 protein, human